Gladiators eliminated by Deer Lakes in opener

By JEREMY TEPPER

MVI Sports

Before the match even started, South Allegheny volleyball coach Jack Kelley sensed his team’s youth and lack of postseason experience might be its undoing.

Early on Tuesday it became evident that that would be the case.

Playing against Deer Lakes in a WPIAL 2A playoff pigtail-round matchup for the 12th seed in the bracket, South Allegheny’s season came to an end with a 3-1 defeat. The Gladiators were dominated in the first two sets and couldn’t quite fight back afterwards.

“I saw a couple girls kind of crying with nerves before the game got started, so I knew we might be in for a bit of a problem,” Kelley said. “It’s the first time these girls have played a volleyball game that mattered.”

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