Spring-Ford, Pope John Paul II volleyball teams advance in PIAA tournament
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Spring-Ford 3, Delaware Valley 0: Spring-Ford’s postseason-long hot streak continued in the opening round of the PIAA Class 4A tournament on Tuesday with a three-set win on the road at District 2 champion Delaware Valley.
Spring-Ford won by set scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-15. The District 1 third-place team improved to 21-7 this year.
Spring-Ford’s first trip to the state championships continues Saturday when it has a rematch with District 1 champion Unionville at a site and time to be determined. The teams met last week in the District 1 semifinals, won by the Longhorns in four sets.
Pope John Paul II 3, Engineering and Sciences 0: The defending PIAA champions cruised in the opening round of the PIAA 3A tournament Tuesday at home over the District 12 runner-up. Set scores were 25-2, 25-7, 25-9.
Pope John Paul II improved to 25-0 and will take on District 3 champion Middletown – a three-set winner over Archbishop Carroll in the first round – on Saturday at a site and time to be determined.
FIELD HOCKEY
The Boyertown field hockey team’s first foray in the state tournament since 1997 didn’t go according to plan as it suffered a season-ending defeat to District 2 champion Wyoming Valley West Tuesday night in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A field hockey tournament.
The Bears, the No. 4 seed from District 1, struck first on a Kendal Gilbert penalty corner that led to Emily Ulrich getting Boyertown on the scoreboard, a lead that held into halftime.
Wyoming Valley West came to life in the third quarter by scoring its two goals in a five-minute span. WVW cashed in on their first penalty corner, Charlotte Yelen’s insert to sister Olivia Yelen resulting in a shot and score.
The game-winner at the 5:17 mark of the third quarter had a similar setup, this time with Riley Dwyer getting a tip-in of Olivia Yelen’s shot.
The Bears racked up penalty corner attempts down the stretch but couldn’t find the equalizer.
Boyertown finished its season 18-7 after reaching the finals of the Pioneer Athletic Conference tournament and reaching the District 1 semifinals to earn a berth in states for the first time in 26 years.
The start of the game was delayed by 1:45 due to a bus malfunction that delayed Boyertown’s arrival to Plymouth.
Boyertown’s senior players include Hannah Ulrich, Mary Maloney, Grace Heacock, Taylor Havrilla, Ashley Andrews and Stephanie Andrews.
