Fisher helps Strath Haven overcome absence of Gabby McGinn
NETHER PROVIDENCE — To say Strath Haven had to make last-minute preparations for its first-round district matchup against Plymouth Whitemarsh is an understatement. Last week, the Panthers lost senior captain setter Gabby McGinn to a concussion and the team had to figure out where different players would be inserted.
Losing a captain just before a playoff match presents a number of hurdles for a team but not many teams in all of District 1 boast two players as versatile as juniors Ellie Fisher and Olivia Dumont. Fisher was moved from outside hitter, and despite McGinn’s absence, knew it was business as usual.
“I had one day to get myself together but it had to be done,” Fisher said. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Fisher had 11 assists and 16 kills in her new spot and Dumont added 12 kills, 17 assists and two aces to lift Strath Haven to a 3-0 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh in the opening round of the District 1 Class 4A tournament. The Panthers won 25-19, 25-17, 25-22. The win secured the Panthers’ first district playoff win since 2016, the last time they played the Colonials. Their reward is a second-round matchup against top-seeded and undefeated Bishop Shanahan (16-0) on Thursday. The Eagles are the three-time defending district 4A champs.
Dumont scored Strath Haven’s first point in the first set and Fisher, who also had 11 digs and three aces, sent home a kill to push the Panthers (13-6) lead to 8-5. Dumont had five of her 12 kills in that first set. Fisher had a pair of kills to give her side a six-point advantage in the first.
It was much of the same in the second as a block by Dumont followed up a serving ace from Fisher gave the Panthers its first lead of the set at 7-6. Fisher had her second ace in that set and later Dumont’s block put Strath Haven in control, up by seven. The Colonials (14-7) clawed back as three straight points, a block by Tyler Waite then back-to-back aces by Julia Walker cut the deficit to 14-12. Emily McGinn (two kills, two digs) had one of her four kills in that set to help stop the run. Katie Rosini, who had two kills, five digs and a block, closed things out with a huge spike.
Dumont and Gabby McGinn are a pair of formidable setters but without the Panthers captain, Dumont knew Fisher would step in seamlessly.
“I’ve been setting for the entire season now but Ellie really stepped up,” Dumont said. “She’s been wanting to set for a while and they finally let her. We had to run with each other and got the team in rhythm.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh’s Aja Smith had four kills including two in the third set to give her team a 10-6 lead but Fisher stepped up after her team looked to be drifting away. She poured in eight kills alone in the third, first cutting the lead to 17-15 then tying things up two points later. Her final kill of the set made it 22-19 and Dumont put home one of her own to give Strath Haven match point.
It truly was a quick turnaround for Strath Haven head coach Rachel Powers and her team as Gabby McGinn was “injured last week so we had a new lineup out there, practiced with it on Monday then threw it out there tonight.”
Powers was impressed with how Fisher maneuvered to be ready to play and how her teammates rallied around her.
“I give all the credit to the girls,” Powers said. “They have been so flexible for playing positions they don’t usually play in and they’re taking on those roles.”
In other Class 4A action:
Garnet Valley 3, C.B. East 0 >> Sam Mann and Maddie Wood came up big as the 10th-seeded Jaguars won 25-17, 25-18, 25-23.
Mann collected 15 kills and three blocks and Wood added 26 assists and three aces. Sophia Antignani paced the defense with 18 digs and two aces.
The Jaguars visit seventh-seeded Council Rock North in the second round Thursday night (7 p.m.).
Ridley 3, Lower Merion 2 >> The 20th-seeded Green Raiders avenged a 3-0 loss to the No. 13 Aces to advance to take on No. 4 Pennsbury in Thursday’s second round.
Angela April pounded 18 kills and recorded 25 digs in the 26-18, 26-24, 23-25, 20-25, 15-9 victory. Riley Finnegan also had 25 digs. Casey Tinney collected 30 assists and 23 digs. Abi Herrin recorded 15 kills and Emil Liberio handed out 25 assists.
