Lady Mikes rally past Geibel Catholic, claim first ever volleyball section title
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels players celebrate after defeating Geibel Catholic, 3-2, during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. The victory clinched the Lady Mikes鈥� first-ever girls volleyball section title.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Geibel Catholic蘑菇视频 Shannon Watkins (right) tries to knock the ball past Carmichaels鈥� Taylor Christopher (3) during last Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. The Lady Mikes won to clinch the Section 2-A title and are seeded second in Class A, according to the WPIAL pairings released on Monday. The Lady Gators drew a No. 4 seed.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Micaela Ricco (20) sets the ball from near the back line as teammates Abbey Fordyce (12) and Meighan Spishock (23) look on during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels fans scream to try to distract Geibel Catholic蘑菇视频 Shannon Watkins (17) as she servies to the Lady Mikes during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Carmichaels fans and players celebrate after the Lady Mikes defeated Geibel Catholic, 3-2, in Tuesday night's girls volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. The victory clinched the school's first ever section title in volleyball.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Emma Hyatt hammers the ball for a kill against Geibel Catholic during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Meighan Spishock (23) ducks out of the way at the urging of teammates Grace Kerr (4) and Micaela Ricco (20) to let a Geibel Catholic serve go out of bounds during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. The three seniors helped the Lady Mikes defeat the Lady Gators, 3-2, to claim the school蘑菇视频 first ever girls volleyball section title.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels coach Ashley Shoemaker talks with the Lady Mikes鈥� Micaela Ricco (20) during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Taylor Christopher (3) blocks a Geibel Catholic shot during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Alexa Henckel tips the ball over Carmichaels' front line during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Shannon Watkins executes a jump serve against Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. Watkins totaled five aces and 46 assists, but the Lady Mikes won, 3-2.
Geibel Catholic's Shannon Watkins (17) sets the ball for a teammate during Tuesday night's volleyball match against Carmichaels at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic coach Rick Watkins talks to his players during a timeout in Tuesday night's volleyball match against Carmichaels at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Shannon Watkins (left) blocks a shot by Carmichaels' Taylor Christopher (3) during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Paige Bogozi digs a Carmichaels serve during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic players, including Alexa Henckel (13), Caelen Stevenson (20) and Amanda Antol (3), celebrate after winning the third game against Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. The win gave the Lady Gators a 2-1 lead, but the Lady Mikes rallied to take the match, 3-2.
Carmichaels' Grace Kerr (4) sets the ball for a teammate against Geibel Catholic during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Carmichaels' Alexandra McGee serves against Geibel Catholic during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Caelen Stevenson (20) serves against Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic. Stevenon had six aces in the Lady Gators' 3-2 loss.
Carmichaels' Grace Kerr (4) tips the ball over Geibel Catholic's front line during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Alexa Henckel (13) sends the ball back over the net against Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Lauren Tomasko digs a shot from Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Geibel Catholic's Amanda Antol (3) returns the ball against Carmichaels during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Meighan Spishock drills a shot through Geibel Catholic蘑菇视频 front line during Tuesday night蘑菇视频 volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Carmichaels' Parker Pratt manages to barely get the ball over the net during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
Carmichaels' Meighan Spishock (front) and Grace Kerr go up to block a shot against Geibel Catholic during Tuesday night's volleyball match at Geibel Catholic.
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. 鈥� Carmichaels has made great strides in girls volleyball the past few years.
The Lady Mike advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals in 2017 and this season they were in search of their first ever section championship.
They finally realized that goal on Tuesday night at Geibel Catholic, fighting back from a 2-1 deficit against a stubborn Lady Gators team to earn a 3-2 win, clinching sole possession of first place in Section 2-A in the process.
The scores were 10-25, 26-16, 17-25, 25-23 and 15-9.
Carmichaels (13-0, 13-0) won the first meeting between the two at home on Sept. 20, also 3-2, after taking a 2-0 lead and surviving a Geibel comeback.
After Carmichaels senior Meighan Spishock蘑菇视频 14th and final kill ended Tuesday蘑菇视频 match, the Lady Mikes piled onto each other on the gymnasium floor in celebration.
鈥淚 felt it and knew it was going down,鈥� Spishock said of her game-ending shot. 鈥淎nd then I thought, 鈥榃e did it!鈥� Then all my teammates starting jumping around me.鈥�
A few moment later the celebration continued with the large throng of Carmichaels fans who made the trip to the Swamp.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 an amazing feeling because that蘑菇视频 been something we鈥檝e been working on since seventh grade,鈥� said Lady Mikes senior Micaela Ricco, who had nine service points and 15 digs. 鈥淚t was always in the back of our heads that we want to win a banner, we want to be the first in school history to win a section title.鈥�
鈥淚t means our hard work has paid off,鈥� added Spishock, who also recorded 11 service points.
Emotional senior Grace Kerr, who totaled 19 assists and 19 digs, shed tears of joy after the match.
鈥淚t means so much,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very single year we鈥檝e made history and it蘑菇视频 just so exciting for my senior year to be the most special. I鈥檓 so proud of my team. It蘑菇视频 great.鈥�
Carmichaels coach Ashley Shoemaker, who has built the Lady Mikes into the winning program it is now, couldn鈥檛 help but flash a big smile after the monumental triumph.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 just amazing from where we started 10 years ago,鈥� Shoemaker said. 鈥淚 thought it was a battle all night on both ends. It was just crazy.鈥�
The Lady Gators (15-7, 11-2) put up a great fight and had the unbeaten Lady Mikes on their heels in the first game. Shannon Watkins started the match with four straight service points for the hosts as Geibel built a 9-2 lead and never looked back in a 25-10 rout.
Carmichaels gathered itself in the second game and broke a 10-10 tie with seven straight points on its way to a 25-16 win.
鈥淭hat second set really was a downer for us,鈥� Geibel coach Rick Watkins said. 鈥淲e let them get out in front. We needed to take that second set and we just didn鈥檛 do it.鈥�
Even so, the Lady Gators showed their mettle when they came from behind to win the third set.
Alexandra McGee recorded five consecutive service points to give Carmichaels a 14-9 lead and it still held a 16-13 advantage when Geibel reeled off 11 points in a row, thanks in large part to the serving of Caelen Stevenson. The Lady Gators won, 25-17, to go up 2-1. Stevenson rang up six aces on the night.
The Lady Mike roared back with a vengeance at the beginning of the fourth game, charging out to a 15-3 lead.
When asked what message she gave her team during the break after the third game, Shoemaker said, 鈥淚 told them we really needed to step it up at that point and make sure we were playing our best game and leaving every single thing we had on the court.鈥�
Geibel kept fighting, though, sparked by two key kills from Lauren Tomasko, and pulled within 24-22 before the visitors notched the winning point to send the match to a fifth game. Two keys plays that helped Carmichaels hold on in the fourth game were a block by Kerr that made it 21-13, and a kill by Emma Hyatt that made it 22-16.
The Lady Mikes built an early four-point lead in the fifth set but when a kill by Geibel蘑菇视频 Hayley Riggin ended the longest point of the night, the hosts were down just 9-7.
Taylor Christopher stepped up for Carmichaels at that point, delivering kills on consecutive points to make it 11-7, followed by a smash down the line by Spishock for a 12-7 advantage that forced Watkins to call a timeout. Christopher ended up with 10 kills.
Alexandra McGee, who contributed 13 assists and 15 service points, served up an ace for the Lady Mikes out of the break, and a block by Christopher made it 14-7.
Geibel refused to give in and took the next two points, prompting Shoemaker to use a timeout and set the stage for Spishock蘑菇视频 winning smash for the 15-9 win.
鈥淕ive them all the credit,鈥� Watkins said. 鈥淲e played hard. They beat us. Simple as that.鈥�
The gym was packed with fans from both schools, making for a very loud, playoff-type atmosphere.
鈥淚t was great,鈥� Watkins said. 鈥淚 loved it. This is what you live for. The kids play volleyball, they work hard, you live for this kind of game.
鈥淵ou just want to be on the other end of it though.鈥�
Alexa Henckel had 21 digs for Geibel, and Paige Bogozi contributed nine kills, 18 digs and two blocks in a fine overall effort. Tomasko had 17 kills and 16 digs. Watkins, the coach蘑菇视频 daughter who plays like a seasoned veteran despite being only a sophomore, had 46 assists and five aces.
鈥淪he has a passion for the game, and when kids have a passion for the game, they live it, they breath it and that蘑菇视频 pretty much the way she is,鈥� coach Watkins said. 鈥淪he lives for a game like this.鈥�
Both teams are headed for the WPIAL playoffs, although the section crown should give Carmichaels one of highest seeds it蘑菇视频 ever had when the pairings are released on Monday.
鈥淭hey rose to the challenge tonight,鈥� Shoemaker said.