The Marian volleyball team knows what it takes to make a deep postseason run.

Six straight district titles. Back-to-back trips to the PIAA Class 1A final — and four appearances in the last five years, including a state title in 2013.

The Fillies know how to put it together when it matters most.

Marian opened its latest pursuit of postseason glory by dispatching Williams Valley 25-14, 25-14, 25-7 in the District 11 Class 1A quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

It was the kind of start Fillies head coach John Fallabel was hoping for.

“It’s a new year. It’s a new season, that’s what I told them,” said Fallabel. “This is what we live for. This is what we practice all season for.”

Postseason success is something the program has grown accustomed to. This Marian (8-9) squad, which enters the tournament seeded fourth, might not have the record of past teams, but its one that is battle-tested, having played Schuylkill League Division 1 competition throughout the year.

Fallabel is hoping that pays dividends.

“We were challenged, and we got better,” said Fallabel.

And it showed against the fifth-seeded Vikings (9-11).

“We had a couple of games this season where we didn’t pull through and play to our full potential,” said Alivia Karchner. “Tonight, I feel like we could have done better, but we ended up making it work, and pulled through to get the win.”

The Fillies will face top-seed Nativity at Minersville in the semifinals on Thursday.

Karchner, who finished with six kills and three aces, keyed a run at the service line — a place Marian thrived — in the third set, one that pushed the lead from 5-3 to 12-3.

“What really stood out for me was how much I really want to make it as far as we did last year, and how good of a team we really have,” said the sophomore, referencing Marian’s appearance in the state final a year ago. “We just haven’t tapped into our full potential yet.

“I knew that when I got back on the service line, that service is the only thing in the game that I could really control, and I knew that it was on me from there.”

The Fillies got a complete effort against Williams Valley. Tatianna Zeleniak had 13 assists, five digs and one kill, while Macie Mazalusky added four digs and one kill, and Lacey Blasko tallied three kills and one ace.

“Tatianna’s sets were on-point today,” said Blasko. “I’m just really happy with how we played.”

Caroline Snerr fired five aces and added three digs, while Kate Spillman recorded three aces and three digs.

“Our libero (Antonina Zeleniak) definitely got a lot of balls that I would not have been able to get to,” said Karchner. “Our defense was playing really well tonight, as well as our setter. I think we all played well together as a team.”

It’s something that they’ll look to continue against Nativity, which earned a bye into the final.

“Nativity is a very good and advanced team,” said Karchner. “I do believe that if we play to our full potential, it’s going to be a very good match.

“I think that if we practice (hard) and if we know what we can do (and believe in ourselves) we can definitely come out with the win.”

YOUTH IS SERVED

… Marian’s rotation against Williams Valley featured just three seniors (Antonina Zeleniak, Spillman and Snerr). There were three sophomores (Tatianna Zeleniak, Jamison Wheeler and Karchner) and two juniors (Mazalusky and Blasko). The group has grown significantly since the start of the season, and appears to have the foundation for many successful years to come. “I’m just so thankful for our team. We’re young, so we definitely have a lot to look forward to in the future,” said Karchner.

HISTORY

… Nativity is the last team to win a District 11 Class A title before the Fillies’ run. The Hilltoppers won the 2011 title.