NTL VOLLEYBALL: WYALUSING COMES UP SHORT TO WELLSBORO IN FIVE SETS DURING D4 VOLLEYBALL (2025-10-26)
BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports ReportATHENS — Wyalusing was down three players, including their libero, but still nearly took down the defending district champions, Wellsboro, as they fell 3-2 in District IV, Class AA volleyball action Saturday.
“This group of girls they’re really special,” said Wyalusing coach Renee Broschart. “They’ve stayed hungry all season, even despite some tough losses. To be here is an honor, and these girls deserve to be here and going out in five sets, it’s tough, but I know that we had a good team, and I’m super proud of the way they played today.”
Despite being undermanned the Rams led most of the match. In fact, of the 208 points played, Wyalusing led for 110 of them compared to 56 for Wellsboro with the two teams being tied during the rest.
The Hornets were able to rally for a first set win of 25-23, while Wyalusing held off another Wellsboro rally in the second for the 25-20 win.
The Hornets led most of the way in the third set for a 25-17 win, but whitings reversed themselves in the fourth set as Wyalusing won 25-21.
In the final set the Hornets were in control most of the way as they pulled out a 15-9 win to stay alive.
Emily Johns had 17 digs, 10 kills, one block, and an ace for the Rams as Josie Ferris had 31 assists, 12 digs, two kills, two blocks, and one ace.
Jalynn Herda notched six kills, five blocks, three digs, and an ace with Addison Fluck getting six kills, four digs, two aces, two assists, and a block.
Madalyn Broschart had four kills, three aces, three blocks, and three digs, while Gabby Manahan had five kills, five digs, and two aces.
Addi Vanderpool had four digs, three kills, and two aces, with SaEva Manahan had nine digs.
Isabel McKeon chipped in with an assist and four digs, with Abbie Tuttle finishing with four digs.
Wyalusing’s block was strong today, causing problems for Wellsboro’s offense as the Hornets had a hard time finding the floor even when they didn’t get blocked.
“Jalynn, Addison, and Maddie have really stepped up their block game this year,” Broschart said. “That was something we knew we needed to do early on to be competitive in this league. I’m super proud of the way that they’ve made adjustments as the year’s gone on.”
However, they struggled at times with serve receive with the Hornets getting over 20 aces in the match.
That’s where the loss of Kirra Millard came in, though the rest of the players did well enough to give themselves a chance at the upset, and, otherwise, their defense was solid throughout the day.
“In practice we have the mindset that everybody plays everywhere,” Broschart said. “Nobody really has a defined position because you need to know how to play every position, and I’m super proud of our defense. We knew that that’s what we needed to focus on today, and I’m just proud of the way the girls stepped up to fill that role.”
It was back and forth early in the first set with the two teams tied at five. That’s when the Rams went on a run, out scoring the Hornets 7-3 over the next 10 points to go up 12-8.
Wellsboro would cut it to 12-11 at one point only see Wyalusing once again start to pull away, taking a 17-13 advantage.
Wellsboro would score the next five points to go up 18-17, but a Madalyn Broschart kill tied things back up.
The two teams traded points to 20-20 when the Hornets got back to back points for a 2-point lead.
An Emily Johns kill followed by a Wellsboro attack into the net tied things back up at 23-all. The two teams traded points to make it 23-all, but a miscommunication won Wyalusing’s part saw a Wellsboro freeball land on the line to make it 24-23.
That was followed by a Wyalusing attack that landed out to give the Hornets the win.
The Rams came out strong in the second set as they went up 4-0 on the strength of two Jaylynn Herda blocks.
Wellsboro recovered as they rallied for a 6-5 lead, but it was short lived as Wyalusing came back to take an 11-8 advantage.
The back and forth continued with the Hornets scoring the next four points to go up 12-11. That was their last lead of the set as the Rams rallied with an 7-2 run to take an 18-14 lead.
Wellsboro cut it to 18-16, but that’s as close as they got with the Rams out scoring them 7-4 the rest of the way to get the win.
The third set saw Wyalusing take early leads of 2-0 and 7-5 but a 7-0 run from Wellsboro put them up 11-7, and Wyalusing never recovered.
They would cut the deficit to two points a couple of times, and made it 19-16 off a Johns ace. However, Wellsboro scored six of the next seven points to bring home the win, and 2-1 lead.
Wyalusing responded strong, taking a 6-3 lead in the fourth set. The Hornets chip away, eventually taking a 12-11 advantage, but a 3-0 spurt from Wyalusing put them back on top.
The Hornets would strike back, tying it up at 15, 16, 17 and 18, but a 2-0 run after that put the Rams up 20-18.
After a Wyalusing serve that landed out made it 20-19 a Herda kill, followed by an Addi Vanderpool ace and a Johns kill put the Rams up 23-19.
Another ace from Vanderpool put them on the brink. Two straight Wellsboro points made it interesting, but the Rams ended the rally to take the fourth set.
In the fifth set Wellsboro finally started strong, tipping the ball over the Wyalusing block to take a 3-1 lead early.
A Broschart kill and ace tied things back up at 3-3. The two teams traded points, then Wyalusing got a Herda ace, and a Fluck kill to take a 6-4 lead.
However, two hits into the net and a passing error from Wyalusing saw Wellsboro go up 7-6. Kills from Johns and Vanderpool put the Rams back up but it would be their last lead of the match.
A bad serve, followed by an attack that was out put Wellsboro on top 9-8 and the Hornets never looked back.
Three straight Wellsboro kills gave them a 12-8 lead, though a Fluck hit cut it to a 3-point set.
However, three straight errors by Wyalusing gave the match to Wellsboro, who will now face Loyalsock in the semifinals on Tuesday.
It may have been a tough final loss of the season but it doesn’t take away the fact that Wyalusing returned to the postseason for the first time in several years.
“I started coaching with this group of seniors and knowing where we were then, and where we are now, it speaks to the sacrifice and the determination that these girls have made for four years to bring Wyalusing volleyball back, and to be competitive in this league. I’m just super proud of the way all seven of them came together this season.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING— —
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