Abington Heights became the first District 2 girls volleyball team to reach 3-0 this season, getting there by winning all nine sets, including three in the Aug. 29 Lackawanna League opener at Valley View.
The Comets returned five starters as well as key role players from last year’s team that went 10-4 to finish fifth out of 15 in the Lackawanna. They went 14-7 overall, reaching the District 2 Class 3A semifinals.
Going into Labor Day weekend, the 3-0 start left Abington Heights in second of 12 teams chasing eight District 2-4 Class 3A Subregional playoff berths. The berths are determined by a ratings formula, which combines record and strength of schedule.
Juniors Veda Dickinson, an outside hitter, and Madison Smith, a libero/defensive specialist, return to lead the team.
Senior outside hitters Reagan Allison and Sadie O’Brien also return to the starting lineup along with junior middle hitter Anna Beck. O’Brien also spends some time at middle hitter.
Brielle Wentz, who gained some varsity experience last year as a freshman, has joined them in the starting lineup as the setter.
Allison and O’Brien are captains along with senior defensive specialist Gabby Potis.
Potis, junior middle hitter Kathryn Beck and junior setter Katherine Hastie all saw steady playing time off the bench last season.
Freshman outside hitter Alaina Krempasky has joined that group, adding to the team’s depth.
The strong start set up a Sept. 5 home showdown with defending District 2 Class 3A champion and preseason Lackawanna League favorite North Pocono.
Lackawanna Trail split its first two matches, needing five sets to get past league newcomer Lakeland in the Lackawanna opener.
Abington Heights 3, Valley View 0
Abington Heights won the league opener on the road by scores of 25-8, 25-14, 25-20.
Wentz had 16 service points, eight aces and eight assists, all team-highs.
Valley View took a 9-7 lead in the second set before Abington Heights took control with 10 straight points, the last nine on Potis serves. Potis had three aces during that streak and added three digs in the match.
Beck had a team-high four kills and had both of the team’s blocks.
Allison had three kills, eight points and three aces.
Abigail MacDonald, a junior middle hitter/middle blocker, also had three kills.
Sophomore Setter Hilde Temblador had a team-high seven points, six assists and three aces.
Smith led the team in digs with 14.
Abington Heights 3, Pittston Area 0
Krempasky served a streak of 12 points, including eight aces, in the 25-10, 25-14, 25-15 win at Pittston Area Aug. 28.
Dickinson had 14 points and six aces while Wentz had 13 points and eight aces.
O’Brien led in kills with five while Beck added four and Dickinson and Krempasky had three each.
Wentz had a team-high eight assists.
Temblador had six points, three aces, six digs and five assists.
Smith led in digs with eight and Potis added five.
Abington Heights 3, Nanticoke 0
Smith had nine digs, including the 500th of her career, when Abington Heights opened the season with a 25-5, 25-11, 25-17, home-court romp Aug. 26.
Wentz, who had a team-high 13 assists, and Potis added four each.
O’Brien led the team in kills with seven and blocks with four.
Krempasky had six kills and Dickinson five.
Allison had five aces.
Temblador had seven assists.
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