Do or die: Unionville edges Shanahan to advance to district final

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”28″ display=”basic_slideshow”]EAST MARLBOROUGH >> When host Unionville edged Bishop Shanahan, 3-2, in the PIAA District 1 4A girls’ volleyball semifinal Monday, it was as though both teams were fighting for their lives.

Their volleyball lives, that is. Unlike 2019, when five District 1 4A teams advanced to States, in this pandemic year of 2020, only one 4A squad from District 1 will advance to the PIAA 4A state girls’ volleyball tournament.

Unionville, the top seed in the bracket, defeated No. 5 seed Shanahan in the first two sets Monday, 28-26 and 25-14. The Eagles, the defending District 1 4A champion, came roaring back with victories in the next two sets, 25-17 and 25-19.

In the fifth and final set, Shanahan was one point away from victory three times before Unionville won the last three points for an 18-16 victory.

With the win, Unionville advances to the District 1 championship final Wednesday at 6 p.m., when they will play the winner of Tuesday’s semifinal between third seed Council Rock North and No. 15 seed Upper Dublin.

For Unionville (11-0), which had lost only one set all season (in a 3-1 win against Bishop Shanahan Oct. 28), Monday’s semifinal was a gut-check in which the Eagles pushed them to the limit.

“Tonight was a test of endurance,” said Unionville girls’ volleyball head coach Stephanie Smith. “We knew Shanahan would be tough, and Greg [Shanahan head coach Greg Ashman] had a good game plan for us – we’re not used to playing five sets this season.

“The key for us tonight was our team’s drive – they really wanted this win, and they stayed composed throughout the fifth set.”

Unionville senior setter Ashlyn Wiswall said, “That fifth set was intense. Shanahan’s serves [in sets 3-5] got us out of rotation. But before the fifth set, we told each other, we’re playing in front of a home crowd, let’s play this one for us and for Unionville.”

Leading the way for Unionville Monday night was senior outside hitter Sophie Brenner with 28 kills, many of them at opportune times. Brenner, who received PVCA 4A all-state and first team All-District 1 4A honors last fall, will be continuing her volleyball career next fall at Loyola University (Md.)

Wiswall dished out 37 assists in the winning effort Monday night.

“Ashlyn’s ability to run an offense has been a key to our success this season, and tonight,” said Smith. “And Genna Weeber’s blocks were big.”

Weeber finished with six kills and three blocks. Also for Unionville, sophomore outside hitter Maddy Lowe had 11 kills and junior defensive specialist Claire Nolan had four aces.

In the opening set, Unionville maintained a small lead throughout most of the contest, but with Unionville leading 24-22, Shanahan junior Maddy Rudolph followed an outstanding block with a kill on the next play to put the Eagles in front, 25-24. After Unionville tied it at 25-25, the Eagles went ahead once again at 26-25, but Brenner came up with back-to-back kills, leading the hosts on a vital three-point run to win 28-26.

In the second set, Unionville pulled out to a 9-2 lead, and Shanahan got no closer than five points the rest of the way for a 25-14 win by the hosts and a 2-0 set advantage.

With their backs to the wall, Shanahan slowly built a commanding lead in the third set, with some early kills by junior outside hitter Coco Shultz, senior outside hitter Brooke Burns and senior Brigette Kelly, and rolled to a 25-17 win.

The fourth set was tied at 13-13, but a four-point run by Shanahan, highlighted by an ace by Burns, a kill by Rudolph and a winning tip over the net by Shultz, gave the Eagles a lead they never lost en route to a 25-19 victory.

“The key for us [in sets 3-4] was that we never gave up,” said Ashman. “We had a five set match against Hatboro last week in which we came from behind, and I thought we’d do it again tonight.”

In the fifth set, Shanahan took an early 4-2 lead on a couple of Rudolph kills, but midway through the set Unionville took a 10-7 lead, thanks to a five-point run that featured a couple of winning smashes by Brenner and a Wiswall dink after a very long volley.

Shanahan rallied to take leads of 14-13, 15-14 and 16-15, but could not put the game away. A Brenner kill tied the score at 16-16, then Unionville won the next two points on a close battle at the net and a Shanahan return hit out of bounds.

For Shanahan (8-2), the PIAA 4A state tournament runnerup the past three years, it was a tough end to the season.

“It was tough, seeing that this group of seniors won’t be playing in the state tournament,” said Ashman. “It was a short season, a different type of season, and we knew going in that we had to beat every team that we faced. Every team I’ve had [at Shanahan] is special — you grow up with these kids — and it will be tough to lose people like Bridgette Kelly, Lauren Gallagher and Brooke Burns [to graduation]. … We also have a lot of juniors on this team, so we’ll be returning some good players next fall.”