BUTLER TWP — Sarah Beals was devastated.

In the summer before her senior year at Seneca Valley High in 2008, Beals dove for a volleyball during a Junior Olympic match and suffered a severe knee injury.

A multisport star for the Raiders who was receiving college interest for volleyball because of her athletic 5-foot-11 frame and her tremendous hitting ability at the net, Beals faced a school year without sports as her knee healed.

The college interest waned. She went from hot commodity to an unknown virtually overnight.

“The schools ... ” Beals says before pausing, “disappeared.”

But her misfortune turned out to be fortuitous.

Beals decided to enroll at Butler County Community College. There, she could play both volleyball and basketball, and build her career again.

She has done that and more.

Beals enjoyed one of the best all-around seasons in Pioneers volleyball history this fall, finishing with 413 kills, 501 digs, 107 aces and 275 assists.

Her performance helped BC3 post a 24-7 record, win the Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association championship and advance to the Region XX Tournament.

“It’s so weird to think something so horrible as blowing out my knee and missing my senior season in high school could have lead to something so special,” Beals said.

Beals’ stellar season also brought her national recognition. She was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Honorable Mention team.

And she did it the hard way.

Beals had been a hitter for her entire career and was quite dominant at it.

At Seneca Valley, she was a standout at the net during her junior season, leading the Raiders to the WPIAL semifinals.

Last year as a freshman with the Pioneers, she also excelled as an opposite hitter.

But this season, coach Rob Snyder needed Beals to broaden her scope and to take on a dual role of hitter and setter.

Beals was skeptical at first, but warmed to the idea.

“It was actually really, really hard at first,” Beals said. “I had never really set before. It was so frustrating.”

But Beals came to practice early, stayed late and spent extra time perfecting her new craft.

By midseason, she had morphed into one of the best setters on the team and remained a dangerous hitter as well.

Snyder said all of his players, including Beals, understood the program’s demands.

“The big thing is they have come from demanding programs,” Snyder said. “They don’t question long practices, hard things. They’ve played competitive at high levels.”

Beals wants to play at a high level next year.

Being able to hit as well as set should make her an attractive prospect again.

She doesn’t know where she wants to play volleyball when she leaves BC3 — she said a Division II school would suit her just fine.

She just knows she wants to play.

“I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t play volleyball,” Beals said.