PIAA VOLLEYBALL: ATHENS FALLS TO SOMERSET IN FOUR SETS IN CLASS A OPENER (24 PHOTOS) (2026-11-11)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Volleyball is a game of runs, and that proved to be Athens' undoing in a four-set loss to Somerset here Wednesday night in the opening round of the PIAA, Class 4A playoffs.

Somerset won the first two sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-20, but Athens dominated the third set in a 25-16.

The Golden Knights closed out the match with a 25-16 win in the fourth set.

 
"(Somerset) has some really strong servers, but we worked on our serve-receive game a lot, so I think that we were just tight," noted Darrow. "I think there were some nerves with it being a State game and all.

"But I thought the Athens volleyball team I know, started coming back at the end of second set, and then the third, we really showed what we can do," added Darrow. "Then in the fourth set, we just let them get a run; that's really it."

Athens finishes the season at 15-6, including its second straight District 4 title.

"I'm so freaking happy about this season," said Darrow. "It's been such a refreshing team of girls who are working really, really hard, and regardless of whatever outside factors, they figure out a way to play as a team, and they just work really hard. 

"And they're so coachable," noted Darrow. "It's my dream that I am standing on the sideline telling them to do stuff that we don't do in practice a lot, but when we have to play defense and block and I have to change it up, and they just do it ... it's so fun to be able to coach that."

Somerset used an early five-point service run in the first set to take a 9-4 lead, and another five-point run later in the set to take an 18-8 lead on its way to the 25-16 win.

In the second set, Somerset used a four-point run to take a 7-4 lead, and later used a five-point run to extend its lead 14-8.

Another four-point run made it 21-10 on the way to a 25-10 victory.

A five-point service by sophomore Kayla Forbes, including two aces and a kill by junior Ellie Mosher gave the Wildcats a 10-4 lead early in the third set.

Junior Lainey Vosburg served up five straight points a little while later to extend the Wildcat lead to 16-5.

The closest the Golden Eagles would get the remainder of the set in Athens' 25-16 win was nine points.

Somerset used a pair of three-point runs easy in the fourth set to build a 13-7 lead, and maintained the advantage in a match-clinching 25-18 win.

Forbes led the Wildcats with 31 digs and seven service points, including four aces.

Darrow gushed about Forbes after the match.


"You guys are all seeing all the hard work she puts in anf the results are what she showed us tonight," noted Darrow. "We see it all the time in practice, but when she gets to do it in the game, it's like 'hell, yeah,'"

Senior Hannah Parrish had 10 points, 11 digs, and four kills, while senior Meg Wiles had five points, 20 setter assists and sixd digs, and junior Ellie Mosher had four points, 11 digs, and 13 kills.

Vosburgh had three points (two aces) and 14 digs, while freshman Evelyn Roy registered 11 kills and six digs, sophomore Lilly Miller added four assists and three kills, and junior Kendall Galasso chipped in with two digs and two kills.

Darrow is looking forward to going for the three-peat in 2027.

"It's gonna get harder," said Darrow. "Central Columbia has some strong hitters, and the 6-2 middle hitter is only a sophomore.

"There's gonna be some stiff competition coming at us.

"As we get better, other teams are getting better, too," noted Darrow. "The girls need to remember that even though we put in hard work, other teams are putting in hard work, too,"

The Wildcats will graduate three seniors in Wiles, Parrish and Emma Mallare.

"Meg, Hannah and Emma have been amazing leaders," said Darrow. "Hannah and Meg have been just amazing in helping turn this program around.

"I love Hannah's competitive spirit. She just is such a feisty competitor," noted Darrow. "I'm really going to miss that.

"Meg improvements in setting have been 180-degrees from sophomore to junior year," said Darrow. "She took that leadership role, and she really ran with it.

"She's been such a composed setter, especially as a 5-foot setter. It's hard to play that front row, and she's been doing it.

"And Emma was a great asset when we had her," added Darrow.

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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Meg Wiles. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens sophomore Kayla Forbes. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.