POTTSVILLE - There are plenty of ups and downs in the postseason.

Gene Kreitzer knows that.

It’s something the Pine Grove volleyball coach has preached to his team, to not get too high or too low when the stage is bigger and the lights are brighter.

In a match that seemed destined for a decisive fifth game, the top-seeded Cardinals showed their composure to turn back Jim Thorpe 25-21, 17-25, 25-13, 25-18 in the Schuylkill League semifinals on Tuesday inside Martz Hall.

“It will definitely help to boost our confidence,” said Kreitzer. “That’s the one thing I always try to stress to them, not to get down on themselves. Mistakes are going to happen, but it’s just a matter of, what they do after a mistake, and to make a positive play after it. And tonight we did a pretty good job of that. Our serve-receive was not as crisp as what it’s been in the past, but still we were able to push through, and we played a good team. Jim Thorpe is a quality team, well-coached team. We knew going in, it was going to be close; it was just a matter of who’s going to make the least amount of mistakes when it comes down to it.”

The Cardinals (19-3, 12-2 Division 1) built a 17-12 lead in the first game before Jim Thorpe went on a 5-0 run to tie it at 17.

Sophomore Brianna Snisky, who had five kills, six blocks and 10 service points, served up three aces during the run.

A kill from Kailen Felty ended the surge. Felty stepped to the service line, delivering four aces to put Pine Grove back in front, a lead the Cardinals wouldn’t relinquish to help them take a 1-0 lead.

Felty finished with five aces, 11 kills and four blocks. Tanae Frey also had 11 kills for Pine Grove, while Ashley Kern had 17 digs and Skyler Shanahan dished out 35 assists.

The fourth-seeded Olympians (17-3, 12-2 Division 1) responded in the second game, building an early lead and turning back a Cardinals rally that brought the score within three as late as 18-15.

But Pine Grove never got closer than five points after that, as the Olympians evened the match at 1-1.

“The first set, we came out ahead just barely, but it was close the whole way through,” said Kreitzer. “And then in the second one, they just stormed back, and we knew it was going to be back-and-forth. I always describe it to my players like it’s a roller coaster; it’s up and down. And that’s what I keep stressing is, to be a good team, you have to be able to play when you’re not at your best, and find a way to get back on top and produce a positive outcome.”

A big service run from junior Olivia Calcano, who finished with 35 digs, ended with an ace to help Jim Thorpe cut the deficit to 13-12. The Olympians again brought it to one point at 14-13 in the third game before Pine Grove went on a tear.

The Cardinals won the final 10 points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

It was more of the same in the fourth game, which was tied at 14-14 and within two points for the Olympians at 20-18 before Pine Grove won the final five points of the match to finish off the victory.

“The girls have to learn that the game has ebbs and flows,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Chris Fallabel. “They didn’t handle the ebbs and flows tonight. It happens.”

It has been a remarkable season for the Olympians, who began the year with a 13-0 record.

The starting lineup Tuesday featured just one senior, two juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.

“They’re a fantastic group of girls,” said Fallabel. “And they’ve grown ridiculously more than I could have ever imagined this season. We weren’t supposed to do this this season. But they needed to grow up quickly tonight, and we didn’t get that result.

“We have a lot to fix, and I know what it is, and they know what it is, because a lot of it is individual, and a lot of it is individual that translates into team. So we have to go with that route.”

The teams split their regular season meetings, with Jim Thorpe winning in five games on Sept. 13, before the Cardinals posted a 3-1 win on Oct. 6.

“I was not surprised by anything they did tonight,” Fallabel said of Pine Grove. “We knew what we were going to expect, we just didn’t do it.”

Thorpe was coming off a big 3-1 win over Pottsville on Monday, a team that handed the Olympians their first loss, gaining momentum Fallabel was hoping would carry over to the semifinal round, regardless of the opponent.

“We are capable. That’s what stings the most,” said Fallabel. “Because they could have had it. They did have it.”

STATS

... Junior Maggy Hallihan had 22 assists, three kills and 10 digs and 14 service points for the Olympians, while sophomore Brooke Mitzen had 11 kills and 10 digs.

MOVING ON

... Pine Grove faces No. 3 seed Nativity Thursday back at Martz Hall.

LOOKING AHEAD

... Jim Thorpe is currently in the No. 2 spot in the Class 2A power rankings behind Pine Grove. Another meeting between the teams could be likely in the district playoffs.