Brian Hagberg
WARREN, Pa. – Warren went back and forth with North Catholic for the first two sets, but the Trojanettes showed why they’re one of the top three teams in the state during the final two in a 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-15, 25-16) win in their PIAA first round match.
“I saw us battling against a really good team,” Warren coach Mike Dolan said. “We knew they were very good but I think we came out with confidence.”
See Dolan’s full interview:
North Catholic took an early 10-7 lead in the first. Warren used a 5-0 run to go up 12-11, but the Trojanettes answered with a 9-1 run to gain a 20-13 advantage.
The Dragons responded with a 7-0 run to tie the set at 20-20. North Catholic took the next three points, but Warren answered again to tie it at 23-23 before the Trojanettes scored the final two points to take the set.
“We really hung with them that first set,” Dolan said. “We had a good chance of winning that set. And then we came out and took that second one. I’m really proud of the effort.”
After North Catholic took an 11-8 lead in the second set, Warren went on a 10-3 run to pull ahead, 18-14. The Trojanettes responded with a 7-1 run to take a 21-19 lead, but the Dragons closed the set with a 6-0 run to knot the match at 1-1.
North Catholic slowly pulled away in the third set, then used an 8-1 run to take the lead for good in the fourth.
“They served really tough the whole match and kind of maybe wore us down a little bit,” Dolan said.
Kylie Fehlman had 13 kills and a block, Alexia Bowers had 11 kills, 8 digs, and a block, Madelyn Nosel had 5 kills, and 5 digs, and Maddy Jones had 5 kills, and 4 digs for the Dragons.
Summer Lucks had 14 digs and 4 aces, Sophie Walker had 7 digs, and 3 aces, Lilly Newton had 2 kills and a block, Lily Walker had 3 digs, and Lindsay Madigan had 33 assists, 6 digs, and an ace.
