Berlin Brothersvalley, Meyersdale roll in D5-1A volleyball semifinals
· Yahoo Sports
BERLIN — Sisters Elena and Callie Ritchey combined for 29 kills while teammate Lia Fairman dished out 34 assists, leading top-seeded Berlin Brothersvalley to a 25-11, 25-10, 25-11 victory over fifth-seeded Salisbury-Elk Lick in a District 5 Class 1A volleyball semifinal, Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Visit newsbetting.club for more information.
For senior Elena Ritchey, the final time on her home court was special, but as a leader on the team she knows it is important to keep improving as each game approaches.
“We just need to really keep playing together,” said Elena Ritchey. “We have to have the right intentions and practice hard, and I have full confidence in us as a team, and it means everything to me to be able to get this win on my home court playing with my sister in my final game on this court.”
Sophomore Callie Ritchey plans on using the playoff experience to help her heading into Saturday night's championship match against second-seeded Meyersdale.
“It is kind of insane to get an opportunity to play with the older girls,” said Callie Ritchey. “I look up to all of them, and my sister with how they conduct themselves on the court and manage the playoff pressure. We need to take what we learned tonight and use it against Meyersdale Saturday.”
For Berlin Brothersvalley coach Corey Will, putting the two sisters on a same line has been fun to watch.
“They got that sisterly connection, and kind of know what each other is going to do,” said Will. “The setting tonight was good, and I thought Lia Fairman made some great decisions in who to set, and both Elena and Callie had big games along with Sam Walker who added six kills and had some key blocks.”
Berlin Brothersvalley came out fast taking a 10-1 lead in the first set, before an Elks timeout settled them down. However, Elena Ritchey’s seven kills were too much as Berlin took the first set.
Set two was much the same as Berlin Brothersvalley gained a 10-4 lead and never looked back. Coach Will inserted many faces in and out of the lineup in a decisive 25-10 decision.
The final set was a little different as the teams went back and forth to be tied at 4-4, but then a 6-0 Berlin Brothersvalley run broke the set open, and an ace from Madisyn Weighley ended the set 25-11 sending the Mountaineers back to the title game.
Coach Will expects a battle on Saturday in the championship game against the Red Raiders.
“It is our seven seniors against their seven seniors,” said Will. “You don’t have to do a whole lot of scouting. It was five sets in their house and three sets here. It is two teams that really know each other, and it is hard to beat a team three times.”
For Salisbury-Elk Lick coach Kaylyn Miller, she is not allowing this defeat to take away from the successful season her team had.
“They fought hard this season,” said Miller. “We came out with some nerves a little bit, but they played hard and put the time in all season and played together. Berlin has some great hitters, and we just could not match them tonight.”
Meyersdale sweeps Northern Bedford County
Sarah Hainsworth delivered 20 kills, guiding the Red Raiders past the Black Panthers 25-12, 25-18, 25-22 in the other D5-1A volleyball semifinal.
Isabella Sleasman dished out 15 assists, while Karleigh Beal and Kiera Eberly combined for 18 assists.
Meyersdale meets Berlin Brothersvalley in title match at 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, at Pitt-Johnstown.
Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Berlin Brothersvalley, Meyersdale roll in D5-1A volleyball semifinals