tool name
closeHead coach:Mick Dininno (11th season)
CDT photo/Christopher Weddle
Returning letterwinners for the Philipsburg-Osceola girls’ volleyball team are, from left, Julianne Gray, Hunter Schnarrs, Natasha Frank, Kelsey Gonder, Aleksa Pollick, Taylor Harpster, Carolyn Gallagher, Brittany Flango, Megan Yonushonis.
Assistant coaches:Dave Eckberg, Jim Gonder, Nate Mountain
Last season:32-6, District 6 champions, Advanced to PIAA Class AA quarterfinal round
Key losses:Katie Tocimak
Returning letterwinners: Taylor Harpster, Kelsey Gonder, Natasha Frank, Megan Yonushonis, Aleksa Pollick, Hunter Scharrs, Carolyn Gallagher, Julianne Gray, Brittany Flango
Key newcomers: Stephanie Schaffer
The skinny:Dininno has 298 career coaching wins heading into the season. ... P-O returns every starter and all but one key role player from last year’s team, which lost all three matches during quarterfinal pool play at the state championships. ... Harpster and Gonder were all-state selections last fall. ... The 5-foot- 11 Harpster had 351 kills, 226 points, 64 aces and 186 digs last season. She already holds the program’s career record with 1,156 kills. ... The 5-7 Gonder directs the offense, posting 627 assists last fall along with 357 points, 65 aces and 153 digs. She should break the 2,000-assist and 1,000- point career milestones this season. ... Depth is a major concern, especially with some girls having to play in both the JV and varsity matches. P-O has just 12 girls — four seniors, five juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen. Every freshman who played last year did not return. ... Megan Yonushonis returns at opposite, with Natasha Frank in the middle, Aleksa Pollick, Carolyn Gallagher and Hunter Schnaars outside and back-row players Julianne Gray and Brittany Flango. ... P-O can look forward to its first big tests of the year in a five-day stretch beginning Sept. 17 when it plays at Huntingdon, followed by a trip Sept. 19 to St. Francis’ tournament and Sept. 22 at BEA.
Coach Dininno says: “They’re ready for the season. Mentally they’re tough enough. I think our goals are going to be pretty high. I don’t think we’re going to have the luxury of sneaking up on anybody.
“If we can stay healthy, hopefully down the road we can be a contender.”
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