FOXBURG — As the match wore on and the momentum swung back and forth like a pendulum, Erika Rothen took a deep breath and savored the moment.

"It was intense," said Rothen, a senior hitter for the A-C Valley volleyball team. "Sometimes we were high. Sometimes we were down. But it was awesome."

It was an epic match between two KSAC rivals. A-C Valley battled Union for five sets, eventually winning 21-25, 25-20, 25-27, 26-24, 15-13 to remain unbeaten.

And Rothen was the star.

The senior had a rare 20-20 night with 20 kills and 20 digs.

But that has become more the norm than the exception for Rothen.

Rothen has been dominant at the net for the Falcons this season. In a sport where double-digit kill nights are rare, Rothen is averaging 13.1 per match.

Volleyball didn't always come this easily to Rothen, who admitted her first love is track and field.

She began playing volleyball in the seventh grade and her development has come through hard work.

Rothen has attended camps and played club volleyball each year. With every match, her skills have grown.

This year, she and her team are putting it all together on the court.

"The camps really helped both me individually and the team," Rothen said. "This is something we have been working for for four years."

Rothen said the camps helped her defense just as much as her offense. She is also among the team leaders in blocks and digs.

But it is her prowess at the net that is drawing awe from teammates and opponents alike.

That, too, came from work.

"Experience," Rothen said, describing why she has been so dominant this season. "You definitely have to be thinking all the time. But it's a team sport."

Knowing what kind of shots to hit — and where — has become second nature to Rothen.

Volleyball, though, isn't the only sport in which she is a standout.

In the spring, Rothen advanced to the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the 300 hurdles.

She had the fourth fastest time in the Butler County area in the event at 48.2 seconds.

To Rothen, hitting the finish line and hitting a volleyball feed off one another.

"In both, the power comes from your legs," Rothen said. "And there is a lot of technique in both."

The Freeport volleyball team is on a tear — and so is Madison Rotto.In a straight-set mashing of Burrell last week, Rotto put up 19 service points, 11 kills and 24 assists for a rare double-digit combination.

Seneca Valley's Ryan Vilella scored two goals against North Hills Tuesday to raise his team-leading total to 10.