On Thursday, the Lady Cardinals, who have spent the entire season in Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association top 10 in Class A, showed why they are a state title contender with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-8) win over the Lady Knights in the District 10 Class A quarterfinals at Meadville High School.

“I’m sure the girls are disappointed right now, but in the next week or so when they look back, I think they’re going to be happy with what they’ve done,” Olson said.

What they did was get a playoff win on Tuesday against Commodore Perry, earning the right to play one of the best in Cochranton.

They actually started out with a 1-0 lead in the first game, but that was the only time they led, as the Lady Cardinals asserted themselves early and often.

Currie Hultman watches a ball she hit go between the outstetched hands of Cochranton’s Kendall Miller (9) and Cathryn Miller (11).

A kill from Currie Hultman tied it at 2-2, but the Lady Cardinals went on an 11-2 run to assume control, punctuated by a pair of kills from Maria Amory.

Ike tried to work its way back in, as a nice dig from Crystal Work led to a point and a kill from Hultman got them within 14-8, but a kill by Cochranton’s Alissa Dickson, an all-state player a year ago and likely again this season, helped the Lady Cardinals rattle off 11 of the final 13 points to win the set.

Eisenhower showed its resiliency after Cochranton got up 5-0 in set two, rattling off the next three points courtesy of senior Kiara Weber, who had a block, followed by back-to-back aces.

Again, however, Cochranton went on a big run to push the lead to 15-5.

Cameran Edwards had a nice block in the set, Hultman another kill and Weber another ace, but the Lady Cardinals continued to roll.

Eisenhower’s Crystal Work and Cameran Edwards (5) are introduced before Thursday’s D-10 Class A quarterfinal against Cochranton.

Tess Morningstar and Maddie Green both had kills early in the third and Catrina Edwards an ace, but Cochranton was just too much, advancing to play Saegertown, a 3-2 winner over Jamestown, in the semifinals.

“Getting to the playoffs was our goal and we reached it,” Olson said. “The girls should feel very proud of what they’ve done and understand that the competition is fierce. We went up against a team today that could very well win states.”

It was a team in Eisenhower that started the season 3-5, but rallied to get back above .500 and make this season a very successful one.

“It’s night and day,” Olson said on the difference in his team from the beginning of the season until now. “The first half of our season we were 3-5 and weren’t really focusing. The girls turned it around. They fought hard, they fought every game and they came together. I can’t say how pleased and how proud I am of them.”

Eisenhower huddles up before the start of their D-10 quarterfinal match against Cochranton at Meadville High School.

Tess Morningstar sends a ball over the net.

Cameran Edwards connects on a volley against Cochranton.