Knights stand tall vs. Mars
ADAMSTWP — The Knoch girls volleyball team showed what it could do when it had a healthy squad for the first time this season.
It also showed what it could do with its back against the wall.
Trailing Mars 2-0 and 14-8 in the third set, the Knights rode a thrilling comeback to grab an 18-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-8 victory Thursday.
The win gave both squads an identical 11-1 record in Section 2-AA and a share of the title. Both teams have qualified for the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.
"That was all the girls — their determination, keeping their cool and not getting down," said Knoch coach Diane Geist.
"(Knoch) started to dig everything we hit, and hit harder and had better hits than we did," said Mars coach Dan Mountain. "We gave them some easy shots, and that was the difference."
The Knights (16-1 overall) overcame a tough season that saw six cases of mononucleosis, a broken foot and a knee injury.
"We've always been capable of playing this way," said Geist, "but this was the first night where the entire team was healthy."
The Planets (16-2 overall) looked to be in great shape with a six-point lead in the third game before the Knights scored seven of the next eight points to tie the score at 15.
Zoe Hughes had three kills in the span to spark Knoch.
Mars rebounded to take a 19-16 lead, but Knoch's 9-2 run closed the game and gave the team the boost it needed.
In the fourth game, Knoch raced out to a 6-0 lead, but Mars knotted the score at 10. The Planets took an 18-16 lead, but, again, the Knights clamped down and closed out the game on a 9-2 run to even the match at 2
It didn't help the Planets that sophomore hitter Camblin Leonard left the game with an ankle injury with Mars leading 20-19.
"She's grown by leaps and bounds this year," said Mountain. "She was playing her best game of the year and was leading us in scoring tonight. That was a big blow."
In the fifth and deciding set, Hughes had four kills and teammate Sara Montgomery had two in a span that saw the teams tied at 7-all, but the Knights took eight of the next nine points to win the match.
Mars had started Game 1 off on fire, jumping out to a 7-0 lead behind the serving of Brit Morgan. Knoch clawed its way back to 16-15, but a 5-0 Planets run secured the game.
In the second game, neither team led by more than four points before Mars, which was clinging to a 20-18 lead, took five of the final six points to take a 2-0 lead.
"We had been switching lineups and we had some communication problems," Geist explained. "The girls were determined and overcame that. They just came through."
Hughes finished with 22 kills and 11 service points. Liz Hilla added 13 points and five kills, Montgomery had six kills and four blocks, Michelle Steinmiller had 11 points and 17 digs, Liz Ogershok had 15 points and 21 digs and Ashlee Antoszyk had six kills for Knoch.
