La Salle swept by Hempfield in PIAA AAA 1st round

SPRING >> It was unlikely the La Salle boys volleyball team was going to defeat Hempfield in Wednesday’s PIAA Class AAA first round game,  but the 3-0 (25-12,25-18,25-12) loss at Wilson-West Lawn more about notching yet another step forward for a budding program.

With the program just coming into existence three years ago, the Explorers made its second trip to the state playoffs. This season was highlighted by a trip to the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs where LaSalle defeated in the final Lansdale Catholic, a team whose only league loss was at the hands of  the Explorers earlier in the season.

“To make (the state playoffs) two times in three years is pretty solid so we feel great about that,” La Salle coach Jason Eisele said. “The main thing we did was keep the kids eye on the prize.”

Perhaps there is no better microcosm of the La Salle program then senior outside hitter Josh Williams. Williams joined the Explorers as a sophomore, Williams was a good athlete but far from good volleyball player.

“He came out a very raw, athletic talent and this year he was the league MVP,” Eisele said. “He was the MVP of our league and if he reflects what we are doing I feel really good.”

In his final match Wednesday night Williams took the floor as the Catholic League MVP and a much more polished product. The senior finished his final career game with seven kills.

“Coming from not even knowing what volleyball is to coming out here really being happy and playing, its been a really fun journey,” Williams said.

Eisele explained that for the program to make the next step the players will have to make more discipline. Next season the Explorers return three starters from Wednesday night’s state playoff game. Sophomore setter Jake Glah, junior outside hitter Patrick Guinosso and sophomore Kyle Natter along with some younger players coming up the pipeline will lead LaSalle come next season.

“The big thing I started this year was holding every kid accountable,” Eisele said. “If we get the team a little bit smaller and we rack up the discipline and expectation we’re just going to keep improving.”

For now the Explorers will have to extract the lessons learned from taking on a powerful Hempfield team.

“I tell the guys coming into districts and states the best learning and the best training is in competition and they’ve understood that over the course of the season.”