Class 2A representatives Holy Redeemer and Blue Ridge each extended opponents to five sets, but all three District 2 entries were eliminated Tuesday in the first round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association boys volleyball state tournament.
Manheim Central halted a Holy Redeemer comeback in time to win the battle of state top-10 teams, 25-17, 29-27, 24-26, 21-25, 15-9, to open a doubleheader at Solomon-Plains Junior High.
Archbishop Wood rallied past Blue Ridge, 25-17, 26-28, 16-25, 25-20, 15-9, in a match at Southern Lehigh High School in Center Valley.
Emmaus swept Delaware Valley, 25-20, 25-11, 25-18, in a Class 3A match to complete the Solomon-Plains doubleheader.
Holy Redeemer’s Matt Spiccioli had 23 kills and a block in the lengthy battle with Manheim Central.
Will Wasiakowski had 48 assists, 9 service points and 8 digs.
Matt Williams, Matthew Prociak, Matt Albrecht, Dominic Alberti and Matt Carty also helped the Royals come back to win the third and fourth sets.
Williams finished with 15 kills, 10 points and 5 blocks. Prociak had 10 blocks and 9 kills. Albrecht had nine kills, eight digs and five blocks. Alberti had 13 points, 8 digs and 2 assists. Carty had eight points, five kills and three digs.
Shane McNicholas had 14 kills to lead the way for Archbishop Wood against Blue Ridge.
Connor Cranage had 15 kills and Gerald Welsted had 10 for the Raiders. Calvin Scheideler, who had four service aces, and Nicholas Laude added six each.
Brandon Gentile had three blocks.
Carson Gallagher led Blue Ridge in assists with 29 and Garrett Conklin in digs with 22.
Emmaus ended an eight-match winning streak by Delaware Valley.
