POTTSVILLE - Let the battles begin - and let the best team win the war.

As is tradition, the first klaxon was once again sounded on the Tuesday after Labor Day, signaling the start of the Schuylkill League volleyball season.And nothing says Schuylkill League volleyball like Marian vs. Nativity.Marian's superbly- coached team not only wins its share of battles, but usually prevails in the war as well.That was the case last night as the Fillies won enough battles to pull out a 3-1 victory.But the war was hard fought, forcing Marian coach John Fallabel to call more timeouts then he uses in a month-of-Sundays.Marian won the first set 25-23, but Nativity jammed one down its rivals' throats in set two, 25-21. To be sure, the Fillies looked like a champion in a 25-15 third set, before staving off the upstarts 25-22 behind their great player, Jasmine Mooney.The reason Nativity was able to hang close was its defense.Mainly Livia Lieberman, an impressive freshman Libero defender. "She's very good, their defense was excellent," said Fallabel. "In fact, they played one heck of a game and it was the defense that kept them in it."Nativity kept fielding slams from all over the floor and Lieberman seemed to be the one that was coming up with digs. She finished with 21 in all."We have a rich tradition and history here," said Jen Daubert, the Nativity coach. "We battled hard against a good team and we showed that we're capable."What the Golden Girls kept doing was jamming the net, taking some hard returns away from returning All-State player Mooney, one of the most impressive players ever to don a volleyball uniform in Hometown. Despite the Golden Girls best efforts, Mooney still finished with 22 kills and four aces."Our game is power. That's our game," said Fallabel. "But the changeup of putting Carly Kosciolek to the middle was a key in the third set and the final set clincher."We're still trying to speed her game up," said Fallabel about Kosciolek, who transferred in from Tamaqua. "But you see her in the middle with that athleticism, whoa."The Fillies also got strong play from senior Giana Agosti, to which Fallabel said: "I thought Giana gave us another great effort, she's all over the place." Agosti finished with 34 assistsAlso playing well were Antonia Galasso (11 digs) and Elena Beckett (four kills, six blocks).The first set was nip-and-tuck and tied 23-23, but a pair of unforced errors keyed the win for Marian.However, the second set was draped in green for Nativity. Marian fell behind 17-13 and was trying to play catchup, but a return error and an ace by senior Emily Yordy gave the home club the second set win."I thought we had all the momentum after that second set," said Daubert. "But they find ways to get it done. They're so tough in the (clutch)."The Fillies were never headed building a 23-11 third set lead thanks mainly to nine unforced Nativity errors.Marian was never out of the clearing even heading into the fourth set. It trailed 22-21 before Mooney took over with her lighting and thunder. The 6-foot senior posted the final four points to put the Golden Girls to rest.DOWN BUT NOT OUT … Agosti hit the floor twice. She was popped hard on her nose by a teammate trying to return a volley. Later, she slipped on a wet spot, but never went down for a 10-count.TRYING TO GET BETTER … Fallabel is taking his team to the Lehigh Valley this weekend where the Fillies, in the coaches' words, may not win a game. "But we're going to get better, It's the only way to improve.You have to play against better competition."