Lofty expectations remain for Serra Catholic VB
By JEREMY TEPPER
MVI Sports
Every year, the expectations remain the same for Serra Catholic’s volleyball team. The Eagles expect to win their section. They expect to be competitive in the playoffs. And they expect that eventually they’ll break through and make the WPIAL championship.
This group, as much as any team under Keith Trahan’s tenure, seems ready to make a serious playoff run. The Eagles, who lost to Beaver in the WPIAL quarterfinals last season, are headed by a group of four returning starters and nine seniors in total. The talent, experience and leadership boxes are all checked over.
“Our senior class is pretty close. I’m really excited to see how far we go and hopefully our season is able to happen,” said senior setter Brianna Pasternak. “We’re definitely ready. We know how to handle all the pressure and hopefully we can go far.”
Pasternak, Hannah Kessler and Chloe Berry are some of the seniors that will lead this group. Pasternak, who was a 2nd team WPIAL all star selection last season, is the definitive glue for the Eagles, the player in the middle who makes everything go.
“I think she’s the best setter in 2A and one of the best setters in the area, period. She’s a great leader with a great skill set,” said Trahan. “All around she’s a great player. She just makes everybody better. We’ll go as far as she takes us.”
In addition, Pasternak, Kessler and Berry help form a tough Eagles defense that forces opponent’s offenses to be top-notch. Kessler, the team’s senior libero, is key.
“She’s one of the fastest, most innate defensive players I’ve seen in a long time. She’s super quick and she has a nose for the ball,” Trahan said.
“Altogether, the three of them, it’s tough to get a ball down on them. You legitimately have to put a ball away and that’s gonna be a real strength for us.”
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