Carroll’s win over O’Hara Silk-y smooth

RADNOR >> As the years have passed junior Morgan Silks has grown more comfortable in her role as the setter for the Archbishop Carroll girls volleyball team.
It’s clear in her demeanor on the court.
Silks does not get nervous during a match the way she did as a freshman.
“She’s very calm out there,” Carroll coach Brian McCann said. “She’s like a quarterback out there. She sees the floor and sees the game and I thought she delivered balls very well. I’m really proud of her.”
Silks set the tone as the Patriots topped Cardinal O’Hara, 3-0, in a Catholic League matchup Thursday night at Carroll.
Silks had 26 assists in a 25-18, 25-21, 25-13 victory that kept the Patriots (4-0 overall, 2-0 Catholic League) undefeated.
“I feel I’ve gotten more confident and stronger in my spot,” Silks said. “My coach, Mr. McCann, helped me a lot, and having his daughter (2015 Daily Times Player of the Year Emily McCann) on the team last year helped, too. She was a setter and she helped me grow in this position.”
Senior Hannah Wright and freshman Paige Monastero were on the receiving end of most of those passes from Silks and senior libero Mary Kate Painter, who also set the defensive tone for the Patriots with 12 digs. Wright, who earned All-Delco honors last season, pounded 21 kills, while Monastero added 16 kills.
“Hannah’s a special player, but I was really proud of Morgan today,” McCann said. “She was awesome today.”
“Morgan is getting very consistent with her setting,” Painter added. “She’s getting in the right places and she’s starting to mix it around a little bit more. She’s improved a lot.”
O’Hara (3-2, 1-1) put up a fight behind the play of Kiki Daly (11 kills, 10 digs), Breanna Hickey (five kills, four assists, 10 digs) and Meghan MacWilliams (24 assists). The Lions led, 19-17, in the second set before the Patriots rallied to score eight of the last 10 points. Carroll jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the third set and never looked back.
“It’s a learning experience,” O’Hara coach Bill Collins said. “Hopefully we see them at Neumann in October (in the Catholic League playoffs) and hopefully it’s a whole different story.”
In other Catholic League action:
Bonner & Prendergast 3, West Catholic 0 >> The service game was strong as the Pandas rolled, 25-4, 25-2, 25-3. Caroline Goggin and Alex Bilotta had seven aces apiece, while Natalie Claffey added four aces. Molly Ryan recorded nine kills and Maggie McPeak had 11 assists.
In the Central League:
Haverford 3, Upper Darby 0 >> Emma Cormican had eight aces and Rachel Kent pounded eight kills as the Panthers (4-1, 4-0) won 25-6, 25-8, 25-20 to extend their winning streak to four matches. Casey Blum pitched in with seven kills.

In the Ches-Mont League:

Sun Valley 3, Unionville 1 >> Ryan Vickers, Megan Lynn and Rachel Miller all came up big in a 25-17, 23-25, 28-26, 28-26 over the Indians.
Vickers had 12 kills and seven digs. Lynn collected nine kills and eight blocks, and Miller contributed seven kills and three aces. Liz Boccella led the defense with 21 digs, while Caitlyn Young handed out 17 assists and added nine digs.
In nonleague action:
Garnet Valley 3, Villa Maria 0 >> Sydney Portale (eight kills, three aces) and Cassidy Gallagher (eight kills) led the way as the Jaguars won 25-16, 25-19, 25-21.
Lizzie Herestofa added 15 digs and three aces, while Gabby Davis handed out 25 assists.