Playing on the road, in a hostile environment, agrees with the Sacred Heart volleyball.
The third-seeded Lions claimed their fifth straight District 1 Class 3A title, and third in a row as the visitor, with a 3-0 victory over top-seeded Upper Bucks Christian Thursday night.
“The girls seem to prefer playing on the road,” Sacred Heart coach Sam Moyerman said.
Sacred Heart’s reward is a home game against the District 3 champion in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A tournament, set for Nov. 9.
Outside hitter Emily McKenna paced the attack with double-digit kills. Setter Annie Corcoran turned in another strong game and middle hitter Liz Cuskey was solid at the service line in the 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 victory over the previously undefeated Bucks (11-1).
“The girls really dug down deep,” Moyerman said. “We really played a complete game. All three games were like 21-20 at one point and the girls found a way to finish it off.”
In Class 3A:
Garnet Valley 3, Upper Merion 0 >> Klaira Zakarian, Kelly St. Germain and Kate Dugery powered an attack that moved the fifth-seeded Jaguars into the quarterfinals.
Zakarian pounded 11 kills. St. Germain had nine kills and Dugery added eight kills and two blocks in the 25-13, 25-18, 25-23 victory. Setter Maddie Wood set the offense in motion with 37 assists, while Rachel Sokalsky, Steph May and Maddie Snelgrove paced the defense.
The Jaguars will be on the road in the quarterfinals next Tuesday against No. 4 Downingtown West, a 3-0 winner over No. 20 Spring-Ford. The Whippets beat Garnet Valley, 3-1, back on Sept. 17.
Boyertown 3, Sun Valley 0 >> The Vanguards put up a fight but it wasn’t enough to keep them alive in the district tournament. Sophomore Jenna Jones and junior Kate McGroary teamed up on 25 assists. Sophomore Katie Kuehl paced the attack with 11 kills.
In the PAISAA tournament:
Notre Dame 3, Springside Chestnut Hill 0 >> Ava Kelly and Katia Hemphill combined for 15 digs to lead the second-seeded Irish into the semifinals against the winner of the game between No. 3 Perkiomen School and No. 6 Baldwin School.
Setter Maddie O’Meara fed Marissa Bruno, Maddi Brown and Katie Harrington for a combined 28 kills in the 25-10, 25-13, 25-15 victory.
Field Hockey
Saylor Milone dished out two assists to pace Notre Dame to a 3-0 victory over Germantown Academy. Milone set up Reese Czajkowski for the first goal and teamed up with Brennan Czajkowski to feed Aly Maguire for the final tally. Sydney Dalton scored on a penalty stroke for the Irish (13-4, 7-1).
Girls Tennis
Episcopal Academy needed a sweep of the doubles to beat Baldwin, 4-3, in the Inter-Ac League. Izzy Rozes and Elizabeth Boruff secured the victory with a 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 triumph at third doubles. Maddy Mitchell and Maggie Dugery, Maggie Lo and Carter Yearly and Shelby Pasternack and Riya Mukherjee all won in straight sets.
