ROYERSFORD — A surprising run to last year’s PIAA 4A state championship game — but a disappointing loss in the final — left the Spring-Ford girls’ volleyball team with some questions starting the 2025 campaign.
Could the Rams push the pedal to the floor in a quest to equal or even surpass their best season? Could they prove that last year’s postseason run was more a sign of impending greatness rather than simply a team getting hot at the perfect time?
Spring-Ford has resoundingly answered those questions with a perfect run through the regular season, culminating in a PAC title and continuing through the first two rounds of districts. The Rams’ latest straight-set, 3-0 triumph over No. 10 seed Council Rock South in Saturday’s District 1-4A quarterfinal improved their overall mark to 24-0.
The victory, coming by set scores of 25-15, 25-23, and 25-12, sets up a district semifinal match back at Spring-Ford on Tuesday night against Garnet Valley while also cementing the Rams’ spot back in the state tournament.
The early action focused on Spring-Ford’s Lila Olsen, with the Rams targeting the senior hitter and CR South attempting to avoid the player who’s threatening the Spring-Ford school record for career kills.
The Rams’ plan had the early edge, as sophomore Elle Sossong thrived with seven early kills in the first-set triumph. Olsen racked up a half-dozen finishes of her own to complement two timely aces from junior Marley Angelucci.
“Early, I was just trying to hit the ball hard, but as (Council Rock South) adjusted we mixed in some finesse, finding the open spots,” said Olsen.
Sossong repeatedly made the Golden Hawks pay for their focus on Olsen, with some of the contest’s most authoritative hits among her 20 kills.
“It’s something we’ve been facing throughout the year,” said Sossong, who also had 14 digs in the contest. “When (Lila) rotates to the back row, it’s helpful to be able to give our opponents another player to deal with.”
Indeed, CR South never got a break defensively with Olsen and Sossong’s combined 43 kills. Angelucci’s productive service and ability to make pinpoint passes (team-high 34 assists) assured Spring-Ford never allowed more than three consecutive points after the early second set.
“Some players serve one way every time, some mix it up. I want to make it hard for our opponents to return the ball, don’t give them any time to prepare or set up a play,” said Angelucci, whose older sister, Lauren, holds the program’s all-time kills mark that Olsen is attempting to chase down.
With only three seniors on this year’s squad, the Rams are set up for enduring program success under head coach George Fuller.
“Underclassmen are coming up, we have plenty of juniors,” said Olsen, who posted a team-high 23 kills along with seven digs. “But obviously as a senior, it’s my chance this year. The younger players are playing huge roles and learning what it takes to travel that road all season.”
As the match went on, it became clear that Council Rock had a solid approach but simply lacked the ability to match SF’s depth and standouts at the net.
The second set was the match’s most competitive, with the sensational sophomore Sossong providing the difference. When CR South pulled within 18-17, her 10th kill put SF on serve, and Sossong reeled off three straight for a 22-17 advantage. The Golden Hawks replied with five of the next six points to get within 23-22, but an Olsen kill gave Spring-Ford two set points, which Olsen paid off with her 14th finish of the match for a 25-23 set score and an ultimately insurmountable 2-0 advantage.
Spring-Ford rarely loses a set (only five all season), and wouldn’t do so on Saturday either, cruising to a 25-12 third-set decision. Angelucci and Sossong each served for at least four points in the set, forcing CR South to respond rather than dictate the pace.
Last year as state runners-up, SF caught fire in the postseason, recovering from an elimination at the hands of PAC rivals Upper Merion at this same stage of districts into a victorious run through playbacks, and an upset of 2024 District 1-4A champ Unionville en route to the PIAA final.
“Maybe we were a little surprised to (be in the state championship last year),” allowed Angelucci, “but I definitely think we deserved it. We put in the work, the effort. We grew so much as a team and it’s only made us stronger this year.”
This time around, Spring-Ford garnered a clean sweep of three-time 3A state champions Pope John Paul II in the regular season, culminating in a PAC championship victory that allowed the Rams to claim the first of the three titles available to the team.
“We haven’t really looked back at last year as much as focusing on these games ahead of us,” said Sossong. “We’re going to keep growing.”
Next up would be a District One title, with that quest continuing on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“It’s one step at a time, always,” cautioned Angelucci, “but there’s no question we’re going for it all this year.”
Only after hopefully securing that district title will the Rams’ focus turn to states. But for a team that’s been on a mission since the season began, Saturday’s victory gave them an assurance that an opportunity to avenge last year’s title match looms.
“I think we’re really well-rounded this year,” said Angelucci.
“We work on the areas where we struggle after each game,” added Olsen. “So we address any weaknesses that do show up.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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