By:
Josh Rizzo
Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 6:08 PM
Beaver’s seniors celebrate with the trophy after beating Oakland Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kayden Blinn hits against Oakland Catholic during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Anna Vinopal hits against Oakland Catholic’s Michayla Booth during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kaylee Kisling hits past Oakland Catholic’s Josie Fontana during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Oakland Catholic’s Raegan Mascaro hits against Beaver during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Oakland Catholic’s Michayla Booth hits against Beaver’s Jaedyn Brown (l) and Alaina Malobabich during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Oakland Catholic’s Rory O’Connell hits against Beaver’s Kailyn Connelly during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kaylee Kisling and Kailyn Connelly defend on Oakland Catholic’s Josie Fontana during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kailyn Connelly (r) and Kayden Blinn defend on Oakland Catholic’s Josie Fontana during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Alaina Malobabich hits past Oakland Catholic’s Zephaniah Troxler-Scott during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver celebrates after beating Oakland Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kaylee Kisling, Alaina Malobabich (l) and Kailyn Connelly (r) celebrate after beating Oakland Catholic in the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Kaylee Kisling (r) and Kailyn Connelly defend on Oakland Catholic’s Eve Wrabley during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
Beaver’s Aubrey Bumblis celebrates with Jaedyn Brown after a kill against Oakland Catholic during the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball championship Saturday at Peters Township High School.
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Susan Pollins has spent nine years with the seniors on the Beaver girls volleyball team. The Bobcats coach believes any group coming behind them will have a high hurdle to clear to match what they’ve accomplished.
Beaver, the No. 2 seed, swept Oakland Catholic 3-0 (25-15, 27-25, 27-25) in the WPIAL Class 3A championship match Saturday at AHN Arena at Peters Township to win the program’s third district title. The Bobcats also won in 2023, when this group was sophomores.
Aubrey Bumblis, Kailyn Connelly, Alaina Malobabich, Jaedyn Brown and Anna Vinopal were Beaver’s seniors.
“On and off high school, they played club for me, they’ve been with me since they were in seventh grade,” Pollins said. “They’re probably going to go down as probably the best senior class to ever come through Beaver volleyball. They push each other to get better every day and they want it. You can tell they have their minds set on their goals and they refuse to let anyone down.”
Beaver (19-1) had to fight ferociously to win the second and third sets. The Bobcats fought off three set points. Connelly, a 6-foot-3 middle hitter, said the previous championship experience helped.
“It’s very nerve wracking and it’s crazy because there’s a huge crowd and a lot of different components to it that make it hard to concentrate,” Connelly said. “But you have to lock in.”
Top-seeded Oakland Catholic (19-2) had swept Beaver earlier this season. Eagles coach Jenna Potts said it was a difficult match to get settled in.
“We had some first-set jitters and then we didn’t quite recover,” Potts said. “I think the rhythm of our game was different than normal, but I give them credit for fighting back each time. I think we had some tough calls against us at some crucial moments.”
The Eagles took a 25-24 lead in the second set on a kill by Michayla Booth. Beaver then won three consecutive points that featured attack errors.
Connelly said she felt Beaver was more prepared for Oakland Catholic’s attack this time around.
“We were ready to work today,” Connelly said. “We were not prepared the first time.”
Connelly smashed a kill to give Beaver a 19-13 lead in the fourth set. Oakland Catholic responded with a 9-2 run to take the lead, 22-21.
“We had nothing left to lose,” Potts said. “We’re either going to fight or we’re not. I think they realized it was do-or-die time and they fought back. That’s how our team rolls. It’s unfortunate that in two sets we scored two points less than the other team.”
Beaver battled back to tie the third set at 25. The Bobcats then won the title following an Oakland Catholic attack error and a block by Malobabich.
“We all took a big breath and just needed to talk each other up,” Connelly said.
Tags: Beaver, Oakland Catholic