The Bellwood-Antis girls volleyball team won their semifinal match against Penns Manor on Saturday afternoon. But top seed Northern Cambria took advantage of the Lady Blue Devils’ fatigue to post a three-games to none triumph in the District VI-A championship finals to claim their first title.
In a great semifinal match against Penns Manor, Bellwood-Antis, with first-year head coach Stephanie Burner opened with a 25-19 win and fought back from an 18-24 deficit to take the second game 28-26, before Penns Manor won the third game 25-16. The Lady Blue Devils rallied to take the fourth game 26-24, to earn a berth in the finals against a well rested Northern Cambri, who easily defeated Conemaugh Valley in three straight games 25-9, 25-14, 25-16 in their semifinal.
In the final, Northern Cambria defeated Bellwood-Antis in three games, 25-16, 25-14 and 25-19.
“Penns Manor was a good team and we went at them hard,” said Bellwood-Antis coach Burner. “Unfortunately, we didn’t really seem to have enough left for the second match today.”
In a battle of some of the area’s best middle blockers, Lady Blue Devils Stephanie Hatch and Lauren Carter carried the Bellwood-Antis squad through their semifinal match and had 21 kills and five blocks between them in the finals.
Elyse Schreckengost had six service points in the finals for Bellwood-Antis and Nicole Ross added five service points.
Bellwood-Antis, by virtue of their second place district finish, advances to the PIAA first round. The Lady Blue Devils (19-2) will play Geibel Catholic, the District 7 second placer, on Tuesday at a time and site to be determined.
