Beaver falls to Mont Alto in their first round playoff game

Mont Alto, PA -- Beaver, ranked sixth in the PSUAC, traveled to #3 Mont Alto, for the first round of the PSUAC Playoffs.  Beaver, who had fallen to Mont Alto in the regular season, looked to pick up a win on the road and in the first set were poised to do just that.

In a great first set of play, the two teams battled back and forth throughout eventually forcing the set into extra points.  Led offensively by Natalie Gamble (McKees Rocks, PA/Sto-Rox) and Kayona Ward (Beaver Falls, PA/Beaver Falls) Beaver put up an impressive 12 kills in the first set alone, playing virtually error free volleyball and passing confidently.  Beaver took the set by a score of 29-27.

With the momentum on their side, Beaver looked to get an early lead in the second set, but inconsistent passing caused the team to struggle offensively as they managed only 2 kills and had several service errors in the set as well. 

Despite the dramatic turn of events, with the match tied up at 1-1, Beaver mounted a comeback in the third set.  Their passing improved and with that came a more consistent offense as they put up 8 kills in the set.  In the front row, the hitters battled to make smart shots and blocked well, getting many touches on the ball to help their defense.  They showed great hustle in the set and refused to quit, despite their efforts they fell 25-20.

In the do or die fourth set, the team struggled from the beginning.  Receiving to start the set, Beaver immediately got the ball back, scoring the first point.  With Brittany Davids (Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk) at the line, things were looking good for the Lady Lions, but they didn't capitalize and gave the ball right back to Mont Alto and then struggled to regain the serve and went down 5 points early.  This deficit deflated the team as they eventually fell by a score of 25-11 and lost the match 3-1.

Beaver finished their season with a PSUAC record of 10-7 including the playoff loss.  They will suffer the loss of two seniors, Amanda Palombo (Aliquippa, PA/Quigley Catholic) and Gina Richman (New Castle, PA/Union) whose presence especially at the service line will be missed in addition to their experience on the court.  The Lady Lions will also be losing several players to transfer, but Coach Bertges looks to add more young talent to the roster for the 2014 season and continue to build around returning players in the off-season.