POTTTSVILLE – The clash was high-voltage.

Two of the Schuylkill League’s finest volleyball teams — Panther Valley and Blue Mountain — weren’t about to waste time. Both were focused and determined to reach Thursday evening’s championship finals.

These two foes knew each other well, and true to form, they delivered a dandy. If you’re a Panther Valley fan, it was a performance to remember.

The Lady Panthers rallied across every inch of the Martz Hall floor, delivering big plays from big players — digs, kills, assists and defense. Using grit and hustle, Panther Valley wore down the Lady Blue Eagles to earn a 3-1 semifinal victory by scores of 25-23, 22-25, 25-13 and 25-20.

The win sends the Panthers back to Martz Hall on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. to face undefeated Tri-Valley, which advanced with a 3-1 win over Pottsville.

The Panthers excelled at finding open players and passing efficiently. It helped to have an energetic performance from libero Caroline Breslin, who totaled 24 digs and eight service points. Add in senior outside hitter Morgan Orsulak, junior standout JaeLynn Browdy, and the consistent play of middle hitters Chloe Hadley and Jessica Hackash, and the formula added up to a spot in the championship match.

“Hungry — we’re hungry! You could feel it on the bus ride up here,” said Panther Valley head coach Nancy Filer, now in her second stint leading the program.

Panther Valley didn’t find its rhythm until late in the opening set, struggling early against Blue Mountain senior Jaedyn Bartholomew, a 6-foot southpaw who kept the Panthers in check. Bartholomew and defender Isabella Grasso limited early kill attempts from Orsulak.

“Oh, I was aware of it, but I just kept playing through,” Orsulak said. It didn’t faze the senior standout, who finished with 26 kills, 16 assists, three blocks, five service points and four digs.

Trailing 17-13 in the first set, the Panthers roared back to tie it at 23. With Hackash serving, Blue Mountain committed back-to-back errors, giving Panther Valley the opener.

The Panthers again needed a rally in the second set. Blue Mountain grabbed a 14-12 lead behind Bartholomew’s attacks before Panther Valley surged ahead 21-19 on a key Hackash block. But the Eagles answered, with Rachel Moyer’s serving and a big point from Alexa Marshall pushing them to a 25-22 win and tying the match at one set apiece.

“Our mental game coming in was just to stay calm,” Orsulak said. “We wanted to play our volleyball, and we knew we could keep up with them.”

From there, the Panthers took over. They stormed out to a 19-9 lead in the third set, fueled by Browdy’s power hitting — five of her 16 kills came in that frame.

“Yes, I like to use that part of my game,” smiled Browdy. “I just went for the big holes that were open — they made sure they covered everything.”

Orsulak and Hadley combined for back-to-back double blocks to close out the third set, giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead.

“You need communication to help our players find the open spots,” said Breslin, one of the team’s vocal leaders. “I’ve been playing libero since I was a freshman, so I see things and help out.”

Panther Valley raced to a 21-15 lead in the fourth set. Browdy and Orsulak again took charge at the net, while Hadley’s presence forced the Eagles to alter their attack. Blue Mountain rallied to within 21-19, but Orsulak and Browdy finished strong to seal the match.

“Morgan is a great player — she always steps up when we need her,” Browdy said.

Indeed, that mix of balance and hunger carried the Panthers into the championship round.

COACHING MOVE ... In a bit of a chess move, PV’s Filer moved Orsulak from the left side to the right to force Blue Mountain to adjust defensively. It proved to be key in winning the match.

SHE MENTIONED IT ... “We had a lot of balance. Our kids just battled all night. It was a great win — now we’ve got to go out and get the gold medal,” Filer said.

QUOTE II ... “I had two amazing freshmen — Kathryn Breslin and Sophia Paton — and they did a fantastic job,” Filer added of her young outside hitters.

TUCKERED OUT ... Blue Mountain began to fade midway through the match, something the Panthers noticed. “We could tell they were tiring,” said Caroline Breslin.

BACK AT COURTSIDE ... Filer’s return to the program marks her second tenure as head coach. She previously guided Panther Valley to multiple league and district titles alongside longtime assistant Lisa Trubilla.