Knoch junior Brooke Bauer fires a return volley during her match against Sewicley Academy's Simran Bedi in the WPIAL team championship match Thursday. Bauer won the match 6-4, 6-2, but the Knights dropped a 3-2 decision overall. See High School Roundup on Page 10.

Knoch's Brooke Bauer and Ally Bauer both won in singles play, but Sewickley Academy won the other three matches to capture the WPIAL Class AA girls team tennis championship at Oxford Athletic Club Thursday afternoon.

It marks the third consecutive year that the Knights placed second to the Panthers in the district final. The score was 4-1 the last two years.

Sewickley is the defending state champion.

“This was our best year yet and it could've gone either way,” said Knoch coach Nance Conlon.

The Knights will compete in the state tournament, which begins Tuesday.

“Our girls are ready to take this as motivation to not only win on Tuesday, but to get to the final,” said Coach Conlon.

Sewickley Academy 3, Knoch 2

Singles: 1-Evelyn Safar (SA) def. Laura Greb 7-5, 2-6, 6-3; 2-Brooke Bauer (K) def. Simran Bedi 6-4, 6-2; 3-Ally Bauer (K) def. Christina Walton 3-6, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles: 1-Victoria Keller/Emma Disantis (SA) def. Libby Conlon/Jadyn Brown 6-0, 6-1; 2-Aleena Purewal/Milla Ivanova (SA) def. Caroline Ejzak/Riley Wynn 6-0, 6-1

Butler prevailed in a five-set thriller over visiting Seneca Valley by scores of 25-23, 27-25, 19-25, 13-25 and 16-14.Gabby Lucas had 20 digs, Hailey Metzger 27 assists and Allie Schnur three kills for the Golden Tornado.Seneca Valley's Sarah White totaled 16 kills, 21 assists and six aces. Emma Davis and Madi Yurich both dropped 11 kills.A-C Valley 3, Karns City 0 — Emily Wetzel sparked the Falcons to a sweep of the visiting Gremlins with 18 service points, 17 digs, 17 assists and four kills.Hannah Farrington also had 17 digs and Meah Ielase 15 kills in the 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 victory.For the Gremlins, Emily Huff and Emma Clark both had four kills. Mackenzie Dunn added 18 digs and Ashley Fox 13 digs.Union 3, Tidioute Charter 0 — Dominika Logue had six kills and Kiera Zitzman five aces in this 25-20, 25-13, 25-17 win for the Damsels.Morgan Cumberland added five aces and 15 assists.Villa Maria 3, Slippery Rock 1 — Tiffany Madison had a strong game in defeat with 14 kills for the Rockets (8-8).Virginia Recchia contributed 29 digs and Taylor Balint 33 digs in the 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 17-25 loss.Knoch 3, New Castle 0 — Skylar Burkett and Kennedy Christy tallied eight and seven kills, respectively, in this 25-11, 25-13, 25-10 victory.Moniteau 3, Farrell 1 — Aslyn Pry dropped 15 kills on the Steelers and Samantha Broerman added seven kills.Logan Barnhart offered 26 assists and Abby Regal four aces in the 27-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-16 victory.

McKenna Martin scored twice, but Karns City fell to Fort LeBoeuf, 5-2.Brooke Stahlman and Alexis Moore both had an assist for the Gremlins (15-1-1).

Both Butler teams competed at the TSTCA Championships, held at California (Pa.) University.The Golden Tornado boys placed second out of 29 teams and behind only North Allegheny.Sage Vavro led the way with a fourth-place effort and CJ Singleton was fifth.Skyler Vavro and Tim Patterson were ninth and tenth, respectively. Raine Gratzmiller was 53rd.Butler's girls placed fifth out of 27 teams, paced by Autumn Pettinato (21st) and Jenn Cichra (22nd). Chelsey Kabel finished 31st.Kara Kemple and Krislyn Green also competed for Butler.