Lady Maples seeded second in volleyball playoffs
The Mapletown girls volleyball team made program history this season by securing their first undefeated section title.
The Lady Maples then set their sights set on continuing their historic season with a run through the WPIAL volleyball playoffs.
Mapletown was seeded second in Class A and played Apollo-Ridge in the first round of the playoffs at Bethel Park on Tuesday at 6 p.m. That result was not known at press time.
“I was hoping for No. 2 or 3,” said Mapletown coach Christy Menear. “I’m very pleased with the No. 2 seed. I’m surprised we didn’t get the No. 3 seed since we’re so new to the playoff world.”
The No. 2 seed also means the Lady Maples won’t see top-seeded Bishop Canevin until the final, should both teams advance. Mapletown’s lone loss in its 16-1 season was to the Lady Crusaders.
Bishop Canevin won in straight sets, but didn’t run away from the Lady Maples with set scores, 25-18, 25-7, 25-23.
“We had two very respectable sets against Bishop Canevin,” said Menear.
Menear and her staff will be scouring the internet for information on Apollo-Ridge, but plans no major changes in her approach.
“We’re in the gym right now and we’ll be in the gym Monday,” said Menear. “We’ll fine tune some things and implement new things for the defense.
“We’ll read the newspaper and look for video, and put together a game plan against them.”
Menear continued the thought, adding, “The game plan will stay the same, play fundamental volleyball to put the ball on the floor.”
One of those fundamentals is limiting errors.
“The team that makes the least mistakes wins. We need to keep our unforced errors to a minimum,” said Menear.
Menear was hoping to play a little closer to home, namely Mapletown High School.
“I’m disappointed our little school didn’t get a home match,” said Menear, adding, “Some people might not have heard of Mapletown.”
West Greene, the fourth place team in Section 2-A, was on the road Tuesday at Penn-Trafford for a first-round match against fourth-seeded Leechburg at 6 p.m.
The Frazier girls rolled through another season, losing just once to Section 3-AA foe Waynesburg Central. But, the Lady Commodores’ 15-1 record did not secure them a top four seed in Class AA.
Frazier is in the same bracket as top-seeded North Catholic, and opened the playoffs Wednesday at 6 p.m. against South Park at Thomas Jefferson.
Waynesburg Central opened the Class AA playoffs against Serra Catholic Wednesday with a 6 p.m. match at South Fayette.
Carmichaels was seeded 14th and won a preliminary round match over Valley, 3-0, at Albert Gallatin on Monday night. The Lady Mikes were to play No. 3 Laurel at Avonworth on Wednesday.