PINE GROVE — Panther Valley’s volleyball team suddenly has some swagger.

The Panthers are playing with confidence, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

With the Schuylkill League playoffs looming, Panther Valley is building momentum, and that continued Tuesday evening with an impressive 3-1 victory over Pine Grove.

The Panthers won by scores of 25-17, 25-14, 18-25 and 25-19, avenging a five-set loss to the Cardinals earlier this season.

“The difference is we’re playing with a lot more confidence, we are talking to each other and we’re (hungry),” said senior standout hitter Jaelynn Browdy. “The loss (to Pine Grove) motivated us, we know our abilities and we had more concentration.”

With unbeaten Pottsville (13-0) leading Division 1, the Panthers (11-2) are focused on building momentum heading into the Schuylkill League playoffs.

“This was a very good win for us,” Panther Valley coach Nancy Filer said. “It will help us for the (league) playoffs and we do meet (Pottsville) Thursday at our place ... so we will see.”

Panther Valley clicked early, building an 18-11 lead and putting Pine Grove on the ropes in the opening set. The Panthers committed just nine errors in the first set and seven in the second.

If Browdy wasn’t finding openings in the Pine Grove defense with well-placed attacks, senior Jessica Hackash was controlling play at the net. When that duo wasn’t making plays, Danika Blazosky, Sophia Paton, Nina Thorpe and the feisty Kathryn Breslin stepped up.

“Everyone just stepped it up a few notches, especially getting off to those (first) two (set) wins,” Filer said.

Browdy put the finishing touch on the first set with a thunderous kill, and the momentum carried into the second.

The Panthers built leads of 10-5 and 16-9, before surging to a 24-11 advantage and closing out the set for a 2-0 match lead.

Panther Valley recorded five aces during the run. Browdy set the tone early, while Thorpe, Paton and Hackash all delivered strong performances throughout the set.

“That second set was just awesome, we were talking it up, we knew where everyone was (positioned),” Browdy said.

Then came a stumble as Panther Valley lost its rhythm in the third set. Browdy said she could see it coming.

“We got too cocky, I think,” she lamented. “And the big thing, we weren’t talking to each other.”

Meanwhile, Pine Grove began gaining momentum. Lily Flynn pounded shots into the heart of the Panthers’ defense, while Natalie Terry blasted several winners past the back line. Add Addison Daubert to the mix, and Pine Grove charged to a 25-18 victory.

“Volleyball is a game of energy, you get that energy and it (carries) over and it creates a lot of excitement,” Pine Grove coach Erin Frantz said.

Browdy felt that energy was missing for Panther Valley in the third set.

“We got it back in the fourth one,” she said.

She was right.

The final set didn’t start that way. Both teams traded points early before Panther Valley moved ahead 9-5 behind kills from Browdy, Hackash and Breslin.

Pine Grove answered behind the powerful play of Flynn. When Terry slammed home a kill to tie the score at 11-11, Panther Valley found its rhythm again.

The Panthers responded on both offense and defense.

The surge started with another powerful kill from Browdy before she stepped to the service line. Panther Valley followed with a decisive 10-1 run. Paton and Breslin both contributed key blocks and kills, while Blazosky provided another boost.

When Breslin delivered a picture-perfect set to Browdy for a point that made it 20-12, the momentum had fully shifted to Panther Valley.

“We passed the ball tonight better than any time this season,” Filer said.

That improvement helped the Panthers turn the tables on Pine Grove after their earlier loss.

GET THE LEAD OUT ... Panther Valley looked flat-footed in the third set, and Pine Grove took advantage.

STANDOUTS ... Hackash turned in a strong all-around performance, excelling on defense and at the service line. The Panthers also received quality play from sophomore libero Jovie Breiner, who stepped into the lineup after starter Maddeline Schrier was sidelined.

PLAYOFFS ... The Schuylkill League playoffs begin with quarterfinal matches Monday at Minersville.

Panther Valley 3, Pine Grove 1

Panther Valley 25 25 18 25

Pine Grove 17 14 25 19

Statistics: Panther Valley - Jaelynn Browdy (12 kills, 24 assists, 2 blocks, 12 service points, 5 aces, 10 digs); Jessica Hackash (12 kills, 1 assist, 8 blocks, 15 service points, 2 aces, 10 digs); Sophia Paton (5 kills, 1 block, 8 service points, 4 aces, 4 digs); Danika Blazosky (8 kills, 6 assists, 1 block, 4 service points, 9 digs); Kathryn Breslin (13 kills, 17 assists, 2 service points, 8 digs); Nina Thorpe (3 kills, 2 blocks, 8 service points, 3 aces, 9 digs); Jovie Breiner (9 digs).

Records: Panther Valley 17-2 (11-2); Pine Grove 14-5 (10-3).