Blue Mountain setter Ashley Snesavage came up big for the Eagles girls’ volleyball team just when it really counted.
Snesavage had six kills in the championship match of the Gatorade Invitational Tournament, boosting the Eagles past Nativity 25-15, 25-19 on Saturday at Martz Hall.
In the five-team, round-robin format, the Eagles went 5-3 to tie Pottsville and place behind Nativity, which went 8-1 with its lone set loss to Blue Mountain. The Eagles then outlasted Pottsville 27-29, 25-14, 15-5 in the semifinals while Nativity defeated Tri-Valley 25-12, 25-14.
Pushing the ball deep into space behind the Green Wave defense three times for kills in the first set of the finals, Snesavage also posted the pivotal service run of four points to pull Blue Mountain away from a 6-6 tie. Snesavage then served seven straight points, including two aces, in the second set to put the Eagles in control. She added two more kills after Nativity had narrowed the score to 21-17.
Tri-Valley went 3-5 in pool competition while the event’s other team, Tamaqua, went 0-8 in pool action.
Panther Valley
wins NS tourney
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Jamey Mikovich and Kelsey Van Horn each recorded five kills in the championship match as Panther Valley won the North Schuylkill Invitational Tournament title with a 25-23 victory over Shamokin.
Mikovich’s fifth kill brought the Schuylkill League Division II leaders even with the Indians at 21-21. Christina Dacey then served three straight points, including an ace, to put the Panthers ahead 24-21. Shamokin pulled within one point, but Van Horn’s fifth kill produced the clinching tally.
For Shamokin, Sofia Pearson posted five kills and two aces in the championship match.
Earlier, Panther Valley went 6-0 in its pool and then beat Millersburg 25-16 in the semifinal round. Shamokin led its pool at 5-1 and defeated Minersville 25-21 to advance to the title match.
Minersville, 4-2 in pool action, won the third-place match with a 25-20 victory over Millersburg, which also went 4-2 in pool play.
Other entrants and their pool records were North Schuylkill (2-4), Pine Grove (2-4), Shenandoah Valley (1-5) and Weatherly (0-6).
Halifax 3, Lourdes 0
HALIFAX — Schuylkill League Division III leader Halifax defeated Lourdes 25-14, 25-15, 25-8, in a non-league match.
The Wildcats (3-0) were led by eight kills by Kendall Lehman. Jordan Ashberry added 11 assists, four kills and three aces. Molly Smith had five digs and Morgan Calhoun had four aces.
Upper Dauphin 3
Mifflin County 1
ELIZABETHVILLE — Laura Sweger had 18 kills and 16 service points, including seven aces, to lead Upper Dauphin (2-1) past Mifflin County, 25-21, 22-25, 25-13, 25-9, in a non-league match.
Kelsey Hoffman added nine kills, two blocks and 11 digs for the Trojans. Alexis Bowser posted three aces, seven kills and 12 digs. Madissen Miller had six kills, eight assists and seven digs while Mickayla Grow posted 33 assists. Alexis Weaver had eight aces, four kills and 12 digs.