Pottsville's Maggie Brennan (11) raises her arm to serve during a District 11 Class 3A quarterfinal volleyball match Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Martz Hall (Photo by Danie Mae Photography).

POTTSVILLE — It wasn’t a spectacular match by Pottsville’s standard, but it certainly got the job done.

Rhyan Brennan totaled 16 digs, 11 kills and six blocks, Anna Burke collected 12 blocks, 11 kills and two assists, and Ava Schwartz added 12 digs, six kills and five blocks as the Crimson Tide defeated Jim Thorpe 25-20, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16 in a District 11 Class 3A girls’ volleyball quarterfinal match Wednesday at Martz Hall.

“I think we got a little bit too comfortable,” Pottsville coach Maria Sherakas said. “We made a little bit too many mistakes and didn’t control the offense, and the tempo, as much as we would’ve liked.”

The first set of the match set the pace of the whole evening as the lead changed hands six times. Pottsville (18-3) and Jim Thorpe (16-5) battled back-and-forth until the Crimson Tide took the lead down the stretch and capped the set 25-20 as Schwartz tallied a block and a kill, Lainey Dusel added a kill and the Olympians committed two return errors.

Pottsville controlled the pace of the second set, but Jim Thorpe never wavered far.

The Olympians’ Brianna Snisky notched a kill to give Jim Thorpe the opening point of the set, but that was the only lead the Olympians held in the set. The Tide had its largest lead 16-10, but failed to find the rhythm to string together big scoring runs.

Jim Thorpe marched back late in the set and trailed 24-21 after a block by Mara Levins, but Jim Thorpe gave the set point up on a return error as Pottsville took the second set 25-21.

Right as it felt like the momentum was in favor of the Tide, the Olympians cranked up the intensity midway through the third set. A kill from Snisky, followed by an ace from Remi Gorski, pushed Jim Thorpe ahead 20-18. The Olympians ratted off three consecutive points before Schwartz added a kill for Pottsville.

Brooke Mitzen scored a kill to give Jim Thorpe the win 25-23.

“This is win and stay, or lose and go home,” Sherakas said. “We need to work together as a team. I think our team communication was a little lacking Today, but we have time.”

Maggie Brennan notched an ace midway through the fourth set to give Pottsville the lead 15-14, and the Tide were all business from there on out. Pottsville outscored Jim Thorpe 10-3 to cap the set 25-16 highlighted by two kills and block from Burke, and one kill each by Rhyan Brennan, Dusel and Schwartz.

Dusel finished with 12 digs and 10 kills, while Megan Yost tallied 35 assists, 12 digs and two kills for the Tide.

“It’s a win,” Sherakas said, “It’s an ugly win, but it’s a win. We’ll put this one behind us and we’ll move forward. We have to keep working hard, minimize the mistakes, control the tempo and pick up the energy.”

The Crimson Tide will square off against Southern Lehigh (19-0), who swept Notre Dame-Green Pond Wednesday in a quarterfinal match, on Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. at Catasauqua High School.

Bethlehem Catholic 3, Panther Valley 1

BETHLEHEM — Morgan Orsulak compiled 20 kills, 16 assists, nine digs and two blocks in the Panthers’ 25-15, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21 loss to the Golden Hawks in a District 11 Class 3A quarterfinal.

Natalie Vermillion added 12 kills and 11 digs for Panther Valley (18-4), while Caroline Breslin had 21 digs and three aces; Abby Benack had 17 assists and three digs and Emma Dacey tallied 15 digs and two aces.