NEFFSVILLE - When the L-L League girls' volleyball championship match got kick-started Tuesday night, all the pressure was on Hempfield.
After all, the Black Knights were the three-time reigning champs. They brought a No. 2 state-ranking into the match. Hempfield will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 3 tourney. And the Knights have an experienced bunch back from a team that won section, league and district titles and went to the state championship match last fall.
"Hempfield is one of the best team in the state," Garden Spot coach Denny Werner observed. "We wanted to be competitive and get some confidence moving forward."
Check and check.
Hempfield won 3-0 by game scores of 25-23, 25-15 and 25-21 at Manheim Township, as the Spartans gave the Knights everything they could handle - including a gritty third game, when twice Garden Spot vaulted to 3-point leads, the last at 19-16.
But the Knights rallied and got the job.
The Spartans settled for sliver, but got some great experience heading into Districts, where Garden Spot is the No. 3 in AAA.
"We wanted to make Hempfield work and push them very hard and maybe get a game," Werner said. "If you get a game, you never know what can happen."
Hempfield's Emily Zellers was quick to credit Garden Spot's defense, which has been the Spartans' staple.
"I thought our defense and serving was on point," Werner said. "And that's where we're the strongest."
Garden Spot senior libero Hannah Williams, who will play volleyball and participate in track and field for Indiana Weslyan University in St. Marion, Indiana, spearheaded the Spartans' D attack.
At the end of the night, the Knights had the gold.
But the Spartans had some major postseason experience, having gone toe-to-toe against a team that will be on the short list of heavy favorites to win District 3 and PIAA titles.
"If we can play like this in Districts, I think we can be successful," Werner said. "Hempfield is one of the best two, three, four teams in the state. There are only a few teams out there that can beat them. So to be able to play with them like we did, it tells us that we should be able to play and compete with just about anybody."
L-L League volleyball fan Charley Lowe was kind enough to send along nearly 50 photos from Tuesday's championship match.
Take a look here in this slideshow presentation.