THROOP – Excitement filled the gymnasium as two girls’ volleyball teams from neighboring, rival school districts clashed for an important Lackawanna League match.

Both Valley View and Mid Valley are in their fourth varsity seasons. They brought in unbeaten Division II records into this early-season showdown.

Layla Marino had 10 aces, Alexa Farina had seven aces, and Delaney Washo had five kills for a balanced Valley View attack. The Cougars powered to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-9, 26-24) victory over the Spartanettes on Wednesday night.

“It was the battle of the valley,” said Marino, who was an All-Region player last season. “That’s what we call it for fun. Everyone was excited to watch. I was excited to play. I was so proud of my team. We played so well. (Mid Valley) played amazingly too. Both teams have evolved so much. The atmosphere in here was so hyped. I loved it.”

Valley View is ahead of the learning curve, having debuted in 2023. The Cougars were the preseason favorite in the new Division II after going 8-7 last fall.

So far, the team is 6-1 overall, with wins over Division I teams Mountain View and Western Wayne, and the Cougars lead the District 2 Class 4A power rating standings. Valley View’s only loss is to undefeated North Pocono.

In the first set against Mid Valley, the Cougars take control of the game. Maggie Hallett got into a rhythm serving, and Emma Pientkowski slammed home three kills at the net in a run that gave Valley View a 19-15 advantage.

Valley View closed out the set and won 25-21.

“We knew that the match was going to be a tough game,” Pientkowski said. “They are the closest team to us in the division. We worked really hard for the win, and we are really happy.

“My coach (Bryan Owens) has a lot of faith in me.”

Feeding off the energy, Valley View stormed past the Spartanettes in the second set. Freshman Alexa Farina showed off a powerful overhand serve and landed five aces during an eight-point run that established a 13-5 lead.

Valley View took a 2-0 overall lead by winning the set, 25-9.

The Cougars did not slow down in the third set. Marino also used a strong overhand serve that produced a seven-point burst, and Valley View appeared to be finishing things off, leading 18-10.

Mid Valley, fueled by a loud student section and the fans, got on a roll. Naliaha Long kept placing serves in good places. The Spartanettes went on a 12-2 run, giving them a 24-22 lead.

Then, Valley View turned to Farina. Showing poise for a first-year player, she hit a pair of high-velocity aces down the line to start the final rally. The Cougars pushed through for a 26-24 win.

“It was really stressful,” Farina said. “But you just have to get into that right mindset and push through. It felt great. I just did what I had to, putting the ball in and getting it over the net.”

Alyssa Peralta contributed four kills, and Clare Murphy had three aces and two kills for the Cougars. Monica Orellana had eight digs.

In defeat, Mid Valley is still one of the feel-good stories of the 2025 season. The Spartanettes were 2-13 in 2025 but have made strides with four wins against Division II opponents.

Aubrey Comstock had nine aces, Arianna Vitalletti had nine digs, and Olivia Parry contributed eight assists for Mid Valley.

“It is great to see this sport growing like it is,” Mid Valley coach Nick Parlanti said. “The rumor is that other schools are looking to start programs. Valley View, Mid Valley, Lakeland, West Scranton, and Scranton are all new, and they are all flourishing.

“Amid football season, some of these girls grab attention and stand out with their talent. It is great to see.”

North Pocono 3, Montrose 2: At North Pocono, in a matchup of Division I unbeatens, Avarie Roscioli had 18 digs and 17 kills, and Ryan Masters had 20 digs in a 25-21, 12-25, 18-25, 25-17, 15-9 win.

Julia Black had 20 assists and 17 digs; Emmy Jennings added 16 digs to the Lady Trojans’ defensive effort. Ashtynne DeLucy had six kills and 10 assists, and Hailey Calkins had five kills and two blocks for North Pocono (5-0).

Molly Weller had 14 kills, and Sadie Jones had 13 kills, leading Montrose. Gracie Jones had 18 assists and four blocks, Ava Bell had nine service points, and Kirsten Eschbach had 20 digs for the Lady Meteors (3-1).

Abington Heights 3, Mountain View 0: At Abington Heights, Siena Sparacino had six kills and two blocks, leading the unbeaten Lady Comets to a 25-9, 25-17, 25-15 win in Division I.

Brielle Wentz had seven aces, three kills, and 17 assists; Saloni Kishore had eight digs, and Hilde Temblador had six kills, six digs, and six assists for Abington Heights (5-0), which remained tied with North Pocono in first place.

Aubrey Sanders had 13 assists, leading Mountain View (1-4). Karley Norton had three kills, two blocks, and three digs; Abbie Mitchell added three kills, three blocks, and eight digs; and Addison Tompkins had four kills and three blocks.

Blue Ridge 3, Western Wayne 0: At Blue Ridge, Abigail Gelinger had 14 kills and Mckenna Zick had 20 assists and two aces, leading the Lady Raiders to a 25-13, 25-18, 25-14 win in Division I.

Maya Crane added four kills, Peyton Rutter contributed 17 service points and three aces, and Lynndee Barbour had four kills and four digs for Blue Ridge (2-3).

Olivia Haines had four kills, four blocks, and seven digs, and Skyla McGuire had four kills for Western Wayne (1-4).

Dunmore 3, Scranton 0: At Dunmore, Katelyn Henry had 18 assists, five kills, and three aces, leading the Lady Bucks to a Division I win, 25-17, 25-15, 25-18.

Michelle Nidoh had eight kills and four blocks, and Lizzie Mendola contributed six kills and four aces for Dunmore (2-3).

For Scranton (0-4), Krystianna Nallo-Aniska had six digs, and Nashla Vidal had four kills

Delaware Valley 3, Wyoming Valley West 0: Makayley Hughes had 14 service points, nine digs, seven kills, and 30 assists, leading the Lady Warriors to a 25-21, 25-15, 25-14 win in the Wyoming Valley Conference.

Cece Dickerson had 11 kills and nine digs for Delaware Valley.