×

Lady Eagles shock Lady Highlanders

D6-2A H.S. Volleyball: Tyrone 3, Cambria Heights 1

PATTON — Tyrone girls volleyball coach Mike Kraft had a hard time fighting back tears Tuesday night.

The No. 6 Lady Golden Eagles pulled off the shocking upset over No. 3 Cambria Heights, 3-1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-23, 27-25), in District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal action at Cambria Heights High School.

“I’m so proud of my kids,” Kraft said. “There’s some kids in this program that aren’t standing here today. Those kids when I started were 2-19, and this program was the bottom of the barrel.

“This win is for every kid that has come through the program the last however many years. I’m so stinkin’ proud of them, my coaches, my kids, they battle. I can’t say enough about them. It’s all about them.”

Tyrone got off to a fast start in set one led by freshman Reagan Irons, who had three aces on the first five points of the game. Irons finished the match with 21 service points and 14 digs.

“She’s the epitome of a level-headed, cool, calm and collected kid,” Kraft said. “When she plays well, it’s the same demeanor, mentality, emotional state. When she struggles, never count her out. She’s a role model for older kids, peers, and these younger kids. They look up to her. She’s a confident kid.”

The Lady Highlanders, though, responded in set two powered by an early 8-2 run which was capped off by an ace from Brenna Packard. Emily Henry added a block as a part of the Heights’ set win.

“Five seniors, and the rest are underclassmen who had limited varsity time, and they really came together this year and played for each other,” Cambria Heights coach Doug Farabaugh said. “They never gave up, they really came together. I’m really proud of every single one of them.”

Henry finished her final match with 10 kills and Kendall Conrad had 11. Nikki McCombie had 35 digs in her final game and Amber Farabaugh racked up 17.

“Tyrone came in here and played a great match against us,” Farabaugh said. “They were very intense, they served well, they attacked well. Congratulations to them; they played well enough to beat us on our own home court.”

Once the third set started, it was junior Makenna Bauer that took over the match for the Lady Eagles.

Bauer picked up a pair of kills which ended up giving Tyrone a 25-23 set three win.

Bauer put the finishing touches on the upset on a kill past two Highlander defenders. She had 16 kills and seven digs.

“We went to nationals last summer down in Orlando with our club team, and she was our best hitter,” Kraft said. “We’re talking about kids from State College and down in Everett, and all kinds of good players. She was facing 6-foot tall kids at the net, big kids from Florida, California, Texas and she was scoring points. That for her, I think was a huge confidence boost and she went into the season knowing that she was going to have to be a leader.”

Tyrone will now make the road trip to No. 2 seed Central Cambria on Thursday.

SERVICE POINTS

TYRONE: Bauer 2, Cherry 5, Foy 7, Irons 21, Rice 4, Tuskovich 2.

CAMBRIA HEIGHTS: B. Packard 7, Conrad 8, McCombie 10, Henry 5, Farabaugh 12, S. Packard 4.

Records: Tyrone (13-4); Cambria Heights (18-2).

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today