PUNXSUTAWNEY — Talk about peaking at the right time.

Moniteau’s girls volleyball team continued its Cinderella run through the District 9 2A playoffs Tuesday night, knocking off top-seeded Punxsutawney, 3-1, on the Chucks’ home court.

The victory marked the Warriors’ second straight playoff win on the road. They knocked off Keystone in the first round. Prior to this season, Moniteau had not won a postseason volleyball match since 2003.

“The girls are coming together and playing their best volleyball of the year at the perfect time,” Moniteau coach Kaitlyn Loos said. “They are best friends. They’re so close, they believe in each other and they’re playing together.”

The match scores were 25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 26-24.

Lily Staab, the lone sophomore in the lineup, tallied six kills, three aces and three digs to lead Moniteau (11-9). Sydney Bayless, a junior, had three kills, three aces and two blocks. Marissa Pry, one of four seniors on the team, had eight kills, 11 blocks and three digs while fellow senior Davina Pry tallied five kills, three digs and two aces.

Other seniors on the squad are Abbey Jewart and Allie Pry.

“Abbey, Davina and myself have been on the team together since seventh grade,” Marissa Pry said. “Allie started playing in eighth grade. We know each other so well.

“We played a sloppy third set tonight and were disappointed about that. We usually play well in the fourth set and we did that again.”

Loos was impressed with the way her team kept its head up after letting the third set get away.

“We’ve talked about that, not losing our composure and rallying back,” the coach said. “We’ve been doing that of late.”

Jewart said that “we lost a few five-setters late in the season and knew we had to turn that around if we wanted to do well in the playoffs. Our whole team is playing harder now.

“We’re getting the scrappy points now, digging balls out, stuff we weren’t getting done earlier in the season.”

Also seeing regular action for the Warriors are juniors Sophia Fleeger, Bayless and Bella Hernandez.

“I have to give a shout out to Lily Staab tonight,” Loos said. “For a young player, she was all over the court tonight. She played an outstanding game.”

Moniteau will play Kane for the District 9 2A title match on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

“They’re a really good team, but the way we’re playing right now, I think we can get it done,” Jewart said.

Loos pointed to the support of the student body as a big factor in Tuesday night’s win.

“We had a fan bus come up here tonight,” the coach said. “With this win, we’ll probably get even more support on Thursday.”