Senior middle hitter for the Warriors, Kyla Harry (20) gets high over the net during Wyoming Area’s victory over Pittston Area at Yatesville.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Warrior senior Victoria Krupkevich (21) hits a backwards shot over the net against cross-town rivals Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area sophomore Sara Pealer (19) splits Pittston Area’s Catie Galonis (11) and Julia Mehal (28) during game one at Pittston Area. Wyoming Area went on to win 3-2.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Patriot team captain Olivianna Vanesko, left, is set to pass the ball during the game against Wyoming Area at home. Taryn O’Malley (7) and Oliva Capitano (14) look on.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Oliva Capitano (14), right, bump passes for Pittston Area. Teammates Emily Sworen (19), left, and captain Olivianna Vanesko (37) look on.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
YATESVILLE — Taylor Gashi provided the clinching point and much more Wednesday night.
Gashi finished with 13 kills, six service aces and six digs when Wyoming Area rallied twice to defeat host Pittston Area in five sets in a meeting of Wyoming Valley Conference girls volleyball rivals.
Pittston Area won the first set, 25-17, before Wyoming Area tied the match by taking the second, 25-20. The Lady Patriots went back in front with a 25-22 win in the third set before the Lady Warriors won 25-17 and 15-11 to take the victory.
Gashi ended the match when, from the left side at the net, she sent a winning kill to the back right corner of the court.
“I talked to my setter and said, ‘I think this is going to be it and I hope I get this last point’, and I did,” Gashi said. “It was really exciting for all of us.
“It depends on how the set is. If it is high enough, I can read where the people are on the court and I can put it where they are not.”
That’s exactly what happened with Victoria Krupkevich’s set on the decisive point.
Gashi, one of two sophomore hitters starting for Wyoming Area, had an impact throughout the match.
“She’s a young player, but she’s an experienced player,” Wyoming Area coach Sara Mazzitelli said. “She’s definitely the future of the team. I think the team also kind of looks at her as a leader.”
Gashi had plenty of help.
When Krupkevich was not setting up teammates for her 20 assists, she had eight kills.
Natalee Banashefski, Liza Chinikaylo and Kyla Harry added five kills each. Harry also had four blocks while Chinikaylo had three and Gashi had two.
Madison Spittel had 22 digs and Giann Colarusso 15.
Sara Pealer, the other sophomore starter, had five aces.
The win came in the second match of the season for the Lady Warriors, who ended the week at 1-2. It was extra special that it came at Pittston Area.
“This means a lot to us, especially as our first win of the season,” Mazzitelli said.
Both teams struggled early, both in placing serves in play and then in returning those that were placed accurately.
The first set was tied as late as 16-16.
Olivianna Vanesko, Pittston Area’s libero and team captain, served the last five points of a six-point run to a 22-16 lead with two aces and two other serves that were not returned.
Wyoming Area recovered after the first set.
“I think the girls were communicating better,” Mazzitelli said. “That first set, we were not meshing at all.
“I think communication is key for us. When they talk, that’s when good things happen.”
The Lady Warriors built momentum as the match progressed.
“I feel like we really were building the connection on the inside and we started to bring the energy up,” Gashi said.
Vanesko led Pittston Area with nine service points.
Sophia Reza had eight assists, Emily Sworen six kills and Catie Galonis four blocks.
Pittston Area finished the week 0-3 in the WVC and 0-4 overall.
Berwick 3, Wyoming Area 0
Berwick swept Thursday’s home match, 25-9, 25-5, 25-23.
Claire Riera-Gomez led the unbeaten Lady Bulldogs with 14 kills and 10 aces.
Crestwood 3, Pittston Area 0
Crestwood swept the visiting Lady Patriots in a Thursday WVC match.
