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By ROBERT WALLACE; Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Wednesday, November 09, 1994 Page: 7B
POTTSVILLE — Tunkhannock came up short in its dream of going to the state
championships by losing two of three matches in the Class AAA Northeast
Regional Girls Volleyball Tournament Tuesday.
But it couldn’t destroy Tunkhannock’s successful year.
“We had a good season, but this is a tough way to end it,” said an
emotionally-drained Tunkhannock Coach Don Davis. “But I was proud of the way
we played. We gave it a good effort.”
Tunkhannock split its first two matches at Martz Hall, beating Souderton
and losing to West York. In the third match, the Lady Tigers faced Bethlehem
Catholic, which also went 1-1 through its first two matches. Bethlehem
Catholic’s multifaceted, power-hitting attack proved too much for the Lady
Tigers in Game 1, with Bethlehem Catholic winning 15-6. In the second game,
Bethlehem Catholic further asserted its dominance, winning easily 15-1.
Leading Bethlehem Catholic, the District 11 champ, were Christy Cochran and
Tiffany Bedies, although Tunkhannock standout Missy Grohs and Cochran dueled
to a stalemate at the net.
“We don’t see that kind of competition,” said Davis, whose District 2
champion Lady Tigers finished their season at 18-2 overall. “They play all
year ’round down here.”
West York, the District 3 runner-up, turned out to be the suprise team of
the tournament. West York won all three of its matches, including a stunning
upset victory which gave Bethlehem Catholic its first defeat of the season.
West York, along with Bethlehem Catholic, will advance to the state finals
Saturday in Shippensburg.
After jumping out to an 8-0 lead in the first game of the first match,
Tunkhannock — unbeaten in 17 previous matches — kept up its precision play
by taking the game-to-game point, 14-2. But Souderton went on a 10-point
rally, pulling to within two until Angie Parrotta’s kill secured the first
game for Tunkhannock, 15-12.
Leading Tunkhannock was Chrissy Reilly with several finely placed tips into
holes in the Souderton defense. Angie Forte and Megan McDonough provided good
hustle and passing that kept several volleys alive for the Lady Tigers.
After falling behind 6-0 in the second game, Tunkhannock gathered momentum
slowly and managed to tie the score at 10-10, thanks in part to some fine
hitting by Parrotta.
The Lady Tigers, however, maintained only a one-point lead over Souderton
until Parrotta registered her third kill of the game to give Tunkhannock a
16-14 win in game two.
In the other opening match, West York upset Bethlehem Catholic in three
games, winning the third to take the victory 15-13.
In the Lady Tigers’ second match, Tunkhannock struggled both offensively
and defensively in losing to West York, 15-7.
The second game was even worse f