WPIAL Volleyball: Eden Christian Starts Playoffs With Bye
The undefeated defending champions begin their postseason run against Western Beaver on Oct. 29.
By Lucas Chen ·
Eden Christian Academy enters the WPIAL Class A girls volleyball tournament with a first-round bye, placing them among six teams that skipped the opening round. The Warriors, who are the defending champions, will resume play in the quarterfinals.
The team posted a perfect 19-0 record during the regular season. They also captured the Section 1 championship with a 14-0 mark. These results secured their top seed position in the 10-team playoff field.
Coach Jillian Zentko, in her fifth year, noted that the roster relies heavily on juniors and sophomores. She has rotated nine players into the game-day lineup. Key contributors include juniors Erin Hull, Addi Mathieu, Emily Muir, Phebe Falavolito, and Bella Yurkovic.
Senior Nina Oliver and sophomores Peach Oliver and Annalese Harring also feature in the rotation. Freshman Gia Knopp rounds out the core group. Zentko stated the team has focused on building chemistry and keeping faith at the center of their play.
The other teams receiving byes are No. 2 Serra Catholic, No. 3 Aquinas Academy, No. 4 St. Joseph, No. 5 Beaver County Christian, and No. 6 Trinity Christian. The top three finishers in this bracket will advance to the PIAA tournament.
Eden faces No. 8 Western Beaver in the quarterfinals. The two teams have already met twice this season. Western Beaver entered the playoffs after defeating No. 9 Bishop Canevin, 3-0, in the opening round. The match is scheduled for Oct. 29 at Avonworth.
Zentko emphasized the need to reset after the regular season. She told the team to treat the new postseason record as 0-0. The goal is to focus on the immediate match rather than past achievements.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
