Field hockey, tennis and volleyball back in action

by Tom Utescher

After holding tryouts and practice matches during the second full week of August, the Mount St. Joseph Academy field hockey, tennis and volleyball teams played their first interscholastic games last week.

Kyra Castano returns for her fourth season as head coach of the Magic field hockey franchise, along with assistant Erika Stefanides. Joining the team is former goalie Claudia Marzec, who, like the other Mount mentors, played for St. Francis University (Pa.).

In 2023, the Magic reached the semifinals of the PIAA District 1 Tournament and then won the third/fourth place game. The Mounties lost in the second round of the Class 2A PIAA state tournament to fellow Catholic Academies Villa Maria, who won both the district and state championships.

Mount St. Joe’s team captains for 2024 are Sienna Noh, who will continue her career at Johns Hopkins University, and Joie Katsock. The other seniors on the team are veterans Sara Burman and Jill Marcolina, and Julia Farren, who moved up to the varsity team this fall.

Returning goalkeeper Lexi Kelly is part of a group of juniors that also includes Alexa Durand, Avery Lasky, Nora Massella, Lydia Moy and Katie Tropiano. Last fall saw a very strong freshman class, and this fall Kaitlyn Comuso, Tess Hankins, Julia McGlynn, Caitlin Paul and backup goalkeeper Kathryn Pedicino are returning as sophomores. The only freshman to make the varsity team so far is Sara Masella, Nora’s sister.

The Mount’s tennis team began the games with almost the same lineup as in 2023. All of the starting singles players return for the Magic, and they are still only in their third year.

Joy Grafenstine, whose teams won either the outright or shared the Athletic Association of Catholic Academies title in the years she was coach, enters her 10th season as coach of the MSJ racquetwomen. Kate Murray returns to the coaching staff for her fifth season.

Mount St. Joe kicked off its non-league schedule last Wednesday with a match against one of the area’s largest public high schools, North Penn. The Magic won three of four doubles matches to defeat the Maidens 4-3.

Paige Mattle won for Mount in the second singles match 6-0, 6-2, while Natalie Reynolds and Maeve Kelly lost to their opponents from North Penn in the first and third singles matches respectively.

Junior Savana Paris and freshman Maddie Coop teamed up to win first doubles 6-2, while in second doubles, sophomore Avery McNiven and freshman Bridget Murray lost in a third-set tiebreaker. Sophomores Lucy McGann and Iris Burton-Sampson won third doubles 6-1, 6-4, and in the fourth round, Mount sophomore Olivia Mele and junior Mia Dillon won 6-4.

Sophomore Claire Furletti and third-year Amelia Fedoruk also were in action in a doubles exhibition match. In a five-flight match the following day, Mount St. Joe defeated Archbishop Carroll. The Mounties’ captains this fall are senior Sophie Householder and third-year students Mattle and Paris.

In the Mount gymnasium, the volleyball team ended the week on Friday night with a game against Pennridge High School, which opened the 2024 season.

Hitter Lauren Montgomery and libero Marin Stensrud, both seniors, are the Magic’s co-captains this year. Unlike the tennis team, Mount volleyball has to deal with departures as its five 2023 seniors have moved on. Last fall, the Mounties won their opening game in the Class 3A District 1 tournament, but then fell to league rival Villa Maria in the second round.

In last Friday’s game, the MSJ team captains were joined in the starting lineup by their senior classmates Elizabeth Johnsson and Jaidyn Mitchell, a defensive specialist and a setter, respectively. Also starting were junior hitters Gabby Clair and Bridget Horgan, and middle schooler Jahtalia Miros. Junior hitter Kaitlyn Cockerham also made her presence felt as a backup outside hitter.

A strong serve from Clair helped the Mount take a 10-4 lead in the opening set, and the Magic eventually won 25-16. The score was tied 13-13 midway through the second set, but Pennridge gained a narrow lead and held on to it, leading to a 25-22 victory. The Lady Rams continued to gain momentum, taking a 13-3 lead in the third set, then winning 25-17 and taking the fourth set 25-14.

Mount head coach Amy Bergin is now in her eighth season at the helm and well-known assistants Jerry Abdalla, Suzie Bergin and John McKnight are back on staff.