Font ResizeFrom staff reports
SHANKSVILLE -- The McConnellsburg girls volleyball team made top-seed North Star work before falling 3-1 on Tuesday night in a District 5 Class A semifinal match.
After the Cougars, the No. 4 Class A team in the state, won the first two sets 25-15 and 25-15, the Spartans bounced back to grab a 25-20 win and stave off elimination. But North Star, which beat McConnellsburg in the district title match in 2008, finished off the win with a 25-11 decision in the fourth set.
"It was great to steal one game from them, a great team like North Star," McConnellsburg coach Heidi Johnston said. "We struggled in serve receive tonight. We got momentum early in set three and we kept it and got the win. But they came out strong in the fourth set."
A'leese Dickerson, playing her last match, finished with 17 kills and 11 digs for the Spartans, who finished 14-7. Lisa DeShong added 22 assists and 11 digs, Emily Watkins popped five kills with 11 digs and Valerie Green and Courtney DeShong split 24 digs evenly.
Johnston said, "We matched up fairly well at the net against a big team like North Star, but we couldn't get into any rhythm on serve receive tonight. It was a good season and nice to make it this far."
North Star 3, McConnellsburg 1
First set: NS 25-15. Second: NS 25-15. Third: McC 25-20. Fourth: NS 25-11.
McConnellsburg stat leaders -- Kills: A'leese Dickerson 17, Emily Watkins 5. Assists: Lisa DeShong 22. Digs: Valerie Green 12,
