Pancakes and perfection
WEXFORD — Carly Bozzo dove and slid her hand across the floor, the ball bouncing off the back of her hand and softly into the air for a dig.
The Knoch girls volleyball team eventually won the point on one of Sarah Armahizer's 17 kills, claimed the set and the match, 25-15, 25-15, 25-9, against Elizabeth Forward in the WPIAL 3A quarterfinals Tuesday night at North Allegheny High School.
But the point and the win had a much larger meaning for Knoch.
“Pancakes,” said Knoch coach Diane Geist.
Whenever a play like that is made, Geist promises to make the team pancakes in tribute to the dig that is called a “pancake.”
No one was more happy to get one than Bozzo.
“It's my first one,” said the senior libero. “It took four years to get one.”
Bozzo and her teammates plan to smother the pancakes in syrup and butter.
They certainly smothered Elizabeth Forward.
Knoch only trailed once in the three sets, falling behind in the second 2-0. The Knights were dominant at the net, on the set and in the back row against the overmatched Warriors.
“It was a good team win,” Geist said. “I thought Sarah was dominant. I thought our defense was really good.”
Knoch also exorcised a demon with the victory. The Knights had never won at North Allegheny before Tuesday.
“I didn't tell them until after,” Geist said. “We broke the curse.”
Still undefeated and the No. 1 seed, Knoch will play either Thomas Jefferson or South Fayette in the semifinals Thursday at a site and time to be determined.
Bozzo said the Knights realize there is a big target on their backs.
Knoch lost last season in the semifinals and are hoping to break that curse this week as well.
“I think it lit a fire under our butts to be honest,” Bozzo said of last year's loss. “From the beginning of the season, we wanted to go farther. We remember that last year and have used it as motivation.”
