Raiders net a win
JACKSON TWP — Points were coming from all directions.
Alex Muckle had 11 kills, Paul Kurlak 10 and Nate Steele nine Thursday night as the Seneca Valley boys volleyball team ended the regular season with a 3-1 victory over Butler on Senior Night.
The points were divided because of one other player: senior setter Marc DeMarco.
"He's the best setter in the WPIAL," Raiders coach Josh Springer said. "His passes are just perfect. He sets up everybody in a position to do some damage.
"The way Marc plays that position gets overlooked. I know it does because that's the position I played."
Seneca Valley closed out section play with a 10-2 record, second behind North Allegheny, which the Raiders defeated Tuesday night.
The Raiders defeated Butler 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 25-12. The Golden Tornado closed the section campaign at 6-6, fourth in the standings, and will join Seneca Valley in the WPIAL playoffs.
"Our section is a killer," Butler coach Lew Liparulo said. "The only team to beat us 3-0 all year was North Allegheny. Every team that beat us was higher seeded than us at the time."
Seneca Valley used its powerful middle-hitting game to build a 24-14 lead in the first game. Five consecutive Tornado points — including consecutive aces by Chris Giegel — made it interesting before sophomore Brad Parrish deftly tapped a return over the net and to the floor for the game-winning point.
Butler shot out to a 6-1 lead in Game 2, when Bill Roberts scored consecutive points on two blocks and a kill. But the Raiders rallied to take the lead for good at 11-10.
Senior Ben Rossi's kill proved to be the final point of the second game.
Springer freely substituted in Game 3, only to watch Butler extend the contest.
"When we win the first couple of games, I like to substitute in some kids who don't get to play much," Springer said. "It's good for morale, but sometimes it backfires."
The Raiders outscored the Tornado 11-2 down the stretch to win Game 4 handily. Kurlak had two kills and Colin McGinnis served a pair of aces during the surge.
Geigel paced Butler with 36 passes while Doug DeFrancisis had 32 assists, Cody Moffatt had 15 kills and Bill Roberts had 17 blocks.
Seneca Valley seniors were recognized before the match. Their names and the colleges they will be attending include: DeMarco (Pitt), Steve Emling (Maryland), Jon Hewko (Pitt), Kurlak (Virginia Tech), McGinnis (West Virginia), Muckle (UNC-Wilmington), Steve Pecora (Penn State) and Rossi (John Carroll).
Springer is hopeful his team can secure a third seed for the playoffs and Liparulo looks for an eighth or ninth seed.
