No fear: Canon-McMillan stops NA’s streak to win WPIAL title
Darnell Graham / For the Observer-Reporter
Canon McMillan’s Abigail Thornbury remains focused as she prepares to block an incoming ball at the net from North Allegeheny’s Rachel Burton during the WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball championship game at Fox Chapel High School Saturday night. Canon-McMillan defeated top-seeded North Allegheny, ending the Tigers’ 65-match winning streak and becoming the first girls volleyball team from Washington County to win a WPIAL championship.
Darnell Graham / For the Observer-Reporter
Canon McMillan Jenna Vogen spikes a ball over the net toward North Allegheny’s Paige Morningstar (16) during the WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball championship game Saturday night at Fox Chapel High School.
Darnell Graham / For the Observer-Reporter
Canon McMillan's Morgan Galligan (6) and Abigail Thornbury prepare to block a ball from coming over the net from North Allegheny's Paige Morningstar during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game Saturday at Fox Chapel High School.
Darnell Graham / Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan's Lauren Reid (9) and Abigail Thornsbury attempt to block a ball from coming over the net from North Allehegeny's Paige Miller.
Darnell Graham / For the Observer-Reporter
North Allegency's Paige Miller (4) spikes a ball over the fingers of Canon-McMillan's Abigail Thornbury during the WPIAL Class 4A girls volleyball championship game Saturday night at Fox Chapel High School.
Darnell Graham / For the Observer-Reporter
Canon McMillan's Abigail Thornbury pushes a ball over the net between North Allegheny's Megan Chelli (4) and Grace Lackovic (28) during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game Saturday night at Fox Chapel High School.
FOX CHAPEL – The simple was celebrated. The complex was admired.
The Canon-McMillan High School girls volleyball team and its fans clung to every point, knowing each was critical in pulling an upset against overwhelming favorite North Allegheny.
As the Big Macs battled, one volley after the next, it was about answering a question with unequivocal doubt.
Why not us?
“Our thing was somebody has to beat them,” said Canon-McMillan outside hitter Jenna Vogen. “We are going to be that team. We couldn’t be afraid and just had to play our game. That’s what we did.”
Diving to return a ball in the fifth set, Canon-McMillan’s Morgan Galligan watched a backdoor kill attempt from the back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA champions go awry for the final point as the third-seeded Big Macs stunned North Allegheny in five sets, 11-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-17 and 15-12, to win the WPIAL Class 4A championship and end the Tigers’ 65-match winning streak Saturday night.
“We didn’t have anything to lose,” Canon-McMillan coach Sheila Mitchell said. “(North Allegheny) has a legacy. We came in just saying, somebody has to beat them. Why can’t it be Canon-Mac volleyball?”
It looked as if 65 consecutive wins would extend to 66. North Allegheny (18-1) dominated the opening set with its size at the net. After Canon-McMillan (16-2) tied the match at 1-1, the Tigers answered, giving C-M a gut-wrenching loss in the third game. A service error and carry broke a 24-24 tie and gave the final two points to North Allegheny for the victory and a 2-1 lead.
“After that set we just said we have to move on,” Vogen said. “We have to forget every point. We came together. It was the best volleyball we’ve ever played.”
Extending volleys with solid serves and unflinching defense, Canon-McMillan controlled the fourth game and then took a commanding 6-0 lead in the fifth after a cross-court kill from Lauren Reid and consecutive spikes by Vogen. North Allegheny took an 11-10 lead on a kill by Rachel Burton. However, the Big Macs scored five of the final six points for the win.
“They played really good defense and that will win a lot of games,” said North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller. “They made rallies go long and made less mistakes than we did. I think other teams have tried to come at us the way they did. They know the way to beat us, serving us tough and taking us out of our system. They covered the court better than we did tonight.”
Vogen had five aces for the Big Macs, including two that deadened on the top of the net and flopped on North Allegheny’s side for crucial points. She also led C-M in kills with 17.
Katie Weston had 26 digs and Galligan finished with 25.
The last time North Allegheny lost was Nov. 1, 2016.
“I think we tried to overdo it tonight,” Miller said. “I think we played the cleanest game all year in game one. We showed them our game plan. Give them credit. They did what I thought they could do. I was a little worried about tonight.”
Both teams advance to the PIAA tournament. North Allegheny will try to defend its state title for the third consecutive year. The Big Macs will play District 6 champion State College on Tuesday at a site and time to be determined.
“We had a goal sheet at the beginning of the season and have literally crossed off everything on our list,” Mitchell said in excitement. “They came together. They fight together. They won it.”