DOCK TAKES REGIONAL TITLE
Pioneers rally past Bethlehem Catholic in five sets
WARMINSTER >> Facing match point at 14-13 in the fifth set, the Dock Mennonite boys volleyball team took the next three points the last on a kill by Lincoln Bergey – to claim the District 1/11 Class AA title with a 3-2 victory (21-25, 25-15, 17-25, 16-24) victory over Bethlehem Catholic Thursday night at William Tennent.
“These guys have had so many tight matches this season and most of them we’ve lost,” Dock coach Trish Hoover said. “And one of the goals this season was to have that match that maybe they’re not supposed to win and they come up big and they get that match.
“And they were just not going to lose in the end because they had been denied so many times this season.”
Bergey finished with 18 kills, 11 digs and four aces while Ryan Class had 10 kills and seven aces – four in a row as Dock began the fourth set with seven straight points – as the top-seeded Pioneers claimed their first district title since winning District 1-AAA in 2004.
“It feels great. We always look up at the banner when we’re playing,” Class said. “That’s our expectation to get it up there. We finally did it.”
Dock Mennonite also earned its first PIAA appearance since finishing fourth in District 1-AAA in 2012.
“These guys are excited and after losing the league to Avon Grove and in such a tight match, this was absolutely a goal that they wanted,” Hoover said. “And they were not going to give up until somebody kicked them out the door.”
Dylan Derstine handed out 38 assists while Jaden Hunsberger made 38 assists for the Pioneers. Derstine and Jeremy Yoder both had 11 digs. Jason Landis added seven kills.
“The last point we just said we just worked so hard for this moment,” Bergey said. “And in previous matches that we said we got to win this one and we’re supposed to win this one and this one we finally, finally got that.”
Dock Mennonite held an 11-10 lead in the fourth set before No. 2 Bethlehem Catholic finished on a 15-6 run to win 25-17 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Class’ serving sent the Pioneers out to 7-0 lead in the fourth set with Dock pushing the advantage to double digits for the first time at 13-3 in rolling to a 25-11 victory.
Bethlehem Catholic grabbed a 6-4 lead in the deciding set, forcing a Dock timeout but the Pioneers won the next two tie the Hawks at six.
Dock Mennonite had a 13-12 lead but a long serve
and a center line violation gave Becahi match point at 14-13 but a Bergey tip-over kept the Pioneers alive. Dock then earned its first match point at 15-14 and Bergey clinched it with a kill from the left side.