Carmichaels gets another landmark win, heads to WPIAL semifinals
Jonathan Guth/For the Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels’ Alexandra McGee sets up Taylor Christopher for a spike during Monday’s quarterfinal match against Beaver County Christian in the WPIAL Class A playoffs at Baldwin High School.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Taylor Christopher bumps the ball over the net as teammates Meighan Spishock (23) and Micaela Ricco watch the play during Monday’s quarterfinal match against Beaver County Christian in the WPIAL Class A playoffs at Baldwin High School.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Emma Hyatt jumps up for a spike during Monday’s quarterfinal match against Beaver County Christian in the WPIAL Class A playoffs at Baldwin High School.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Emily Mundell serves during Monday’s quarterfinal match against Beaver County Christian in the WPIAL Class A playoffs at Baldwin High School.
WHITEHALL – Carmichaels lost the first game but rallied for a 3-1 victory over Beaver County Christian in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class A girls volleyball playoffs Monday at Baldwin High School.
The Mikes (16-0) are headed to their first semifinal appearance in program history against Greensburg Central Catholic (16-0) Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.
“We lost a five-set match last year in the quarterfinals and a lot of our girls played on that team,” Carmichaels coach Ashley Shoemaker said. “This is the first year we have won the section, gone undefeated and made it to the semifinals. We want to keep making history.
“We really don’t have any film or anything like that we watch to prepare for the match. We just prepare as a team and worry about what we do and not the other team.”
Carmichaels, who is the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL playoffs, assured itself of at least two more matches this season because three qualifiers are taken out of District 7 for the state tournament. The finals and consolation matches will be held Saturday at Fox Chapel High School. The third-place match will take place at 11 a.m. and the finals start at 12 p.m.
“We don’t want to have to worry about playing a third-place match,” Shoemaker said. “We want to head to the WPIAL finals for the first time.”
The Eagles (14-2) opened the match with a 25-23 win in the first game, but the Mikes tied things up with a 25-23 victory in Game 2. Carmichaels won the third game, 25-17, and the fourth, 25-23.
“We were swinging but played a bit scared in that first set,” Shoemaker said. “In the rest of the games, we did a better job, especially against No. 11 (Maggie Townsend). We played with a lot of confidence in the third set.”
The Mikes trailed 11-7 in the first game but used a 7-0 run to take a 14-11 advantage. Beaver County Christian outscored Carmichaels, 14-9, for the two-point win in Game 1.
The Mikes used a 6-0 run to take an 11-5 run, but the Eagles rallied and took a 16-13 lead before the Section 2-A champions went on a 12-7 run for a 25-23 triumph in the second game to tie the match.
Carmichaels scored four straight points after the third game was tied at 5-5 and never looked back in a 25-17 win and a 2-1 advantage heading into the fourth game.
The Mikes held a 14-9 edge in the fourth game before the Eagles rallied to take a 21-17 lead. Carmichaels outscored Beaver County Christian, 8-2, for a two-point victory.
The Mikes’ Alexandra McGee had 13 service points and 17 assists, Grace Kerr added 10 points, 16 assists and 23 digs.
Carmichaels’ Meighan Spishock had eight points, 17 digs and four four kills, Taylor Christopher added four blocks and 14 kills, Emma Hyatt had nine kills and Micaela Ricco had 25 digs.
Christopher, a junior, was on last year’s team and is glad to get past the quarterfinals.
“It started in my freshman year where we would make the playoffs and win the first match, but lose in the quarterfinals,” Christopher said. “We want to keep making history. Beaver County Christian played a tough match but we started a bit slow.”