Patriots Fall in Sectional Final
Park still advances to regional
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MOUNDSVILLE -- Wheeling Park's volleyball team may not be going home with the sectional trophy but it did what it needed to do to advance.
Despite falling 25-18, 25-18 and 25-9 in the W.Va. Class AAA Region One, Section One Championship to Morgantown, Wheeling Park moves on to the regional tournament after sweeping Brooke in the sectional semifinal 25-13, 25-14 and 25-13 earlier on Wednesday night.
"Morgantown has a solid team but we did beat Brooke in three sets so that lets us go to Saturday," Park coach Samantha Gentle said. "That's a positive our team is very excited about. That's what we're going to look toward."
Park will travel to Morgantown Saturday to face off with Bridgeport, who defeated University in the Region One, Section Two Final.
The last time the Mohigans and Patriots squared off was in this year's OVAC final where Morgantown pulled out a five-set thriller.
"Wheeling Park is a very strong team," Morgantown coach Erica Manor said. "I'm really proud of our girls' effort. They were aggressive offensively and defensively and came out with mental toughness to execute every point.
"This reflects upon the hard work our girls have put in this whole season and being out for three weeks and then coming back and working hard every day. To come back with the sectional championship plaque means a whole lot for us."
After dropping the opening set, Park jumped out to a 15-11 lead in the second set of the final. That's when freshman Isabel Grushecky stepped behind the service line and sparked a 7-0 run to put the Mohigans in front for good.
Grushecky also used her serving to get Morgantown out of the gates in the third set with a 6-0 lead and again made her presence felt as she turned a 17-8 advantage into a 23-8 cushion in the triumph.
"She's a freshman," Manor said. "She brings a lot of value for a very young age. For her to go on her run and be aggressive down her point stretch speaks volumes for our future."
Rachel Simon paced Park in the final with nine kills and five digs, Ally Franko tallied seven kills and nine digs, Anya Ritz dished out 19 assists and four digs, Caylin Angel recorded six digs and Izzy Miller added four digs.
"All of their hitters are threats," Gentle said. "I think we did a better job of handling (outside hitter Alayna Corwin). We improved on that since we saw them at OVACs. We just have to hit the ball. We have to swing. I don't think we were as aggressive as we can be. So, that's something we have to work on."
In the victory over Brooke, however, Simon garnered 13 kills and 12 digs, while Franko amassed 11 kills and six digs.
Ritz handed out 26 assists, including 12 in the final set, while also securing four digs.
Miller provided nine digs in the triumph, Angel turned in six digs and Olivia Albrecht added four kills.