All-Delco Girls Volleyball: With quiet calm, Patterson led Garnet’s states encore

CONCORD >> Erin Patterson is not a verbal leader.

Oh, she’ll talk. The 5-11 senior outside hitter from Garnet Valley is not afraid to say something when it needs to be said and did so on many occasions this season. Patterson, though, preferred to let her actions do the talking, which was just the kind of leadership the Jaguars needed. Garnet Valley was coming off the first PIAA volleyball championship in school and county history, yet it wasn’t the same team that made that historic run to the Class 4A title the year before. Patterson, libero Amber Goldberg and Dolce Whitewell were the only returnees from the 12-player championship roster.

The rest of the squad would be made up of juniors and sophomores who played mainly JV a year ago. Coach Mark Clark did not want the team to dwell on the past. He wanted it to move forward and establish its identity. And that’s where Patterson came in. It was up to her and fellow senior Goldberg to show the way. For Patterson, the best way to do that was through actions, not words.

“She always brought high spirits to practice,” Clark said. “She’s always laughing and smiling, always positive. I’ve never heard a negative word out of the girl’s mouth. She’s never complained about anything.”

Patterson expressed those positive vibes through her actions by going after every ball, whether it was in practice or in a match. She didn’t let the team get down when the Jaguars suffered back-to-back losses to two of the top teams in District 1, Upper Merion and Pennsbury, over a three-day span in mid-September.

“I knew it was going to be a great year,” Patterson said. “The JV traveled with us last year in the state tournament. All the juniors were on JV so they got to see what it was like. And we played against them every day in practice so I knew we could go far again.”

Patterson, of course, was right. Garnet Valley overcame that bumpy start to win the Central League title for the second year in a row and advance to the PIAA Class 4A semifinals again before losing a five-set thriller to eventual state champ North Allegheny. Patterson was instrumental in that deep run in the playoffs. She had 56 of her team-high 266 kills in the state tournament, including 25 in a 3-2 win over Hempfield and 22 in the loss to North Allegheny. Patterson averaged 18 kills per match in the playoffs.

For those accomplishments, Patterson is the 2017 Daily Times Volleyball Player of the Year.

PETE BANNAN -DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Garnet Valley’s Erin Patterson is the volleyball player of the year.

First Team

Rachel Cain, Garnet Valley: How did the Jaguars replace All-Delco setter Gabby Davis? Cain, a junior, was the answer to that question. But she was no stranger to varsity competition. Cain saw action as a freshman when Davis missed a few matches with an injury and went along for the ride last season as the Jaguars won the PIAA Class 4A championship. That experience proved valuable this season. She was the facilitator of a powerful attack that carried the Jaguars to a second straight Central League title and to the PIAA semifinals for the second year in a row. A first-team All-Central selection, Cain averaged 34 assists per match and racked up an incredible 854 helpers. She also put 95 percent of her serves in play and recorded 33 aces.

Amber Goldberg, Garnet Valley: Goldberg was another player who had huge shoes to fill, taking the libero position vacated by the graduation of Lizzie Herestofa, the 2016 Daily Times Player of the Year. Goldberg did so with aplomb. A key reserve on last year’s state championship team, Goldberg anchored a back-line defense that was the critical to Garnet Valley’s run to the state semis. Goldberg was at her best in the state tournament. She had 26 digs against Hempfield, 21 against Armstrong and 27 in the five-set loss to North Allegheny. She averaged 21 digs per match and finished with 532 digs for the season. Goldberg also put 85 percent of her serves in play and recorded 21 aces.

Second Team
Melanie June, Ridley, Jr. L
Emma Rokosky, Garnet Valley Jr. OH
Jordan Schuller, Penncrest Sr. S/RS

Honorable Mention
Garnet Valley: Jordan Gallagher, Ally Hartney, Sam Mann
Haverford High: Abby Capobianchi, Zoe Swantak
Marple Newtown: Hannah Roberts
Penncrest: Megan Arndt, Tina Balta, Lilly Mallon, Carly Venit
Radnor: Rebecca Goldberg, Grace Henderson, Sammy Scannipieco
Ridley: Angela April, Jackie Kelly, Maria Brown
Springfield: Sarah Eck, Morgan Kent
Strath Haven: Ellie Fisher, Emma Golato, Gabby McGinn
Upper Darby: Rylee Shanahan, Allison Ascareggi