Fort Cherry volleyball proving it belongs among 2A’s best
In the span of two days the Fort Cherry girls volleyball team proved to themselves and the rest of the WPIAL that they are for real.
The Rangers were unbeaten, but two big tests awaited them on back-to-back days and they passed both.
On Monday, the Rangers swept perennial power Frazier at home and Tuesday traveled to OLSH and won in five sets in a matchup for first place in Class 2A Section 3.
The Rangers are 4-0 in section and 6-0 overall entering a match with Avella tonight and now they can say they’ve beaten two of WPIAL Class 2A’s best.
“The girls knew going in that this was a big week,” Fort Cherry coach Jenna Welsh said. “Having not only those two in the same week, but back-to-back with each other was going to be a challenge and I’m very proud of them.”
Frazier is the co-Section 4 leader with Beth-Center. Fort Cherry was able to dispatch the Commodores in three sets with what Welsh described as an excellent combined team effort.
“That was the best I’ve ever seen these girls play together,” Welsh said. “They’ve all been playing together for a long time and we lost only two seniors from last year, so most of the varsity girls came back. Everyone had a phenomenal game from our defense to our setter running the offense and the hitters executing it.”
The Rangers carried the momentum over to the OLSH match.
Fort Cherry took the first and third sets against OLSH, but the Chargers responded each time with wins in the second and fourth setting up a deciding fifth set.
OLSH took an early lead in the decider, but Welsh said a good run of serves by Malyna Goddard helped the Rangers take control and eventually win the match.
The Chargers were a semifinalist in Class 2A last year, so to get a road win against them was a resume builder.
“The girls were really excited for the match,” Welsh said. “They weren’t nervous but road games are always tough, especially against a team as good as OLSH, but we handled business. Our motto for this year has been to have a next point mentality. That helped us (Tuesday), because it wasn’t only next point, but next set, because against good teams it’s not going to be a clean sweep every time.”
The seniors are Goddard, a defensive specialist, middle hitter Emily Pfender and defensive specialist Julia Amsler. Setter Gianna Bianchini, defensive specialist Alivia Howell opposite hitter Cameron Kramer and outside hitter Brianna Harrison.
Two other key hitters are sophomores: Breonna McClain and Madeline Groszkiewicz. Freshman Morgan Cornali, the younger sister of former Fort Cherry standout athletes Brooke and Shane Cornali, is another hitter in the rotation.
It’s a group that’s played together for a while and
“When this team plays together and plays for each other…This team is special,” Welsh said. “They have so much chemistry on and off the court and that helps them in big matches.”
Fort Cherry is looking to win a second consecutive section title after winning one in Class A last year.
With the PIAA’s move from four to six classes for girls volleyball, Fort Cherry moved up to Class 2A.
While the regular season went well last season, the Rangers were upset in five sets by Serra Catholic in the WPIAL quarterfinals. Serra Catholic won two sets in a row to rally past the Rangers.
It was a heartbreaking and abrupt end to the season and it’s been the fuel for this group.
“Whether they were on varsity or on JV last year they were all there to experience that devastating loss we had,” Welsh said. “While it did hurt, our message from the start is that we have unfinished business and we want to prove ourselves.”
So far, the Rangers are doing just that.