POTTSVILLE - The last time out, the Jim Thorpe volleyball team had the better of things with Pottsville.

This time around, the Crimson Tide were just too strong for the Olympians.

Loading up on one of the top hitters in the Schuylkill League, Payton Kleckner helped power her team to a three-set win, 25-16, 25-18 and 25-13.

The decision advances Pottsville to the second round of the District 11 Class 3A semifinals, while Thorpe’s season ends.

Olympians first-year head coach Will Ramey kept trying to accentuate the positive throughout the match despite Pottsville taking away their flow.

“We were out of rhythm, and the girls were (just) so excited to get out here and play,” Ramey said. “I’m proud of the way we played. We worked on blocking at the net; they’re a heck of a team.”

Pottsville put the pedal to the metal from the onset, taking a 17-11 lead in the opening set and never looked back.

It was similar in the second set, as well. Thorpe was hanging close, trailing 8-7, before the Tide turned to a trio of standouts.

Jules Plachko, Lexi Vandermartin and Julie Botto all came up big in a 10-6 run that resulted in a commanding 20-13 lead.

“I thought we played a consistent game, we moved the ball well and we hit the ball well,” said Pottsville coach Maria Sherakas.

If there was a glitch in the winners’ attack, it was 11 missed serves.

Sherakas wasn’t taking Thorpe lightly, remembering the previous loss.

“They’re a good hitting team,” she said. “I told our kids not to take them lightly; they are a scrappy team.”

And that showed in the final set. Thorpe rallied around the play of Brandy Montemuro, Alexandra Ramey and Autumn Snyder to stay even through a 7-7 score.

However, things came unhinged for the Olympians, and Pottsville heeded the words of its coach. The winners built a 20-10 advantage, and the curtain was about to fall on Thorpe’s 2020 season at Martz Hall.

“I’m very proud of the team we had,” Ramey said. “We had some moral victories, we had some good victories on the court … every time these ladies stepped on the court, they got better at something.”

HANGING TOUGH

… Thorpe’s one-two line of defense at the net of Snyder and Ramey kept jousting and asserting themselves. The team also received solid efforts from Abbey McGinley, Andi Hoherchak and Carsen Rosenberger.

THE FIGURES

… Montemuro had 17 digs and three kills, while Snyder recorded four assists and three kills. McGinley picked up six digs, and Hoherchak locked in with nine digs and two kills. Kleckner had a monster night with 11 kills and 17 blocks, while Elly Painter had 21 digs and Plachko checked in with six kills and 16 digs.

SHE’S A SKYER

… Kleckner has an uncanny ability to get up in the air. Her return slams are very tough to defend. The junior missed three weeks of the season, including the previous loss to Thorpe.