On Thursday, October 21, 2021, the North Allegheny Girls’ Volleyball team finished out their 2021 regular season with a win against Pine-Richland. The team had an amazing undefeated season so far except for one loss against Shaler which they later made up in a second game against them, 3 – 2.

“I think we have been playing very well this year,” senior Rachel Burton said. “We are meshing as a team and the chemistry is coming together. We play smart and with energy, but stay calm in the big moments. I think we have been gaining momentum as the season has gone on, and we get better and better every day. I am excited about what’s to come.”

As some are excited about the next few WPIAL playoffs games, others,  like senior Abbey Hahn, have mixed feelings.

“It’s bittersweet ending the normal season,” Hahn said. “It’s hard knowing that this season is the end of an era. Knowing that I’ll have to leave something so good in the past is difficult, but we are working hard to leave this season with no regrets.”

Their win on October 21st allowed North Allegheny to be placed in the first seeding for the WPIAL playoffs, which began last night against Seneca Valley. NA defeated their opponents handily, 3-0.

“I am hoping we will compete for the WPIAL championship, but to get there we must win our next two matches,” senior Chelsea Boyer said. “If we are able to defeat our next opponents we will play in the championship at the Robert Morris University Sports Center.”

As Burton, Hahn, and Boyer, along with the other seniors on the team, are ending their high school volleyball career soon, they are finding it hard not to become nostalgic, but not without a tinge of humor.

“The memories I’ve made on this team are unforgettable,” Hahn said, “aside from the time that I smashed my head on the locker room floor in an attempt to do a flip before the WPIAL championship game. Due to the head injury I consequently received, I don’t remember much of that game.”

The seniors also feel it is vital to keep the legacy of NA Girls’ Volleyball thriving.

“Volleyball is such an unpredictable game,” Hahn added. “Unlike most other sports where you are able to stop and hold the ball during the action, volleyball is a game of rebounding. The split-second decisions of the game keep you on your toes. I would say the unpredictability of the sport mirrors the unpredictability of every experience on the team. I can honestly say that every day on the NAGVB team is a brand new adventure.”

For Burton, the focus is on the future Lady Tigers.

“It is only  years, which goes by incredibly fast,” she said. “You become a family with the girls that surround you on the court, so lean on them and help them when they need it too. It is not always easy, but in the end, it is worth it.” 

The girls now advance to the semifinal round against Moon next Tuesday night.  And while their sights are set on the championship, they’re not inclined to look past each match in front of them.

“We all hold huge amounts of respect for each team we play, and we can’t wait to get on the court and show them what we can do,” Boyer said.