A visit with WPIAL girls volleyball champs Abby & Paige Miller
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Background Info: North Allegheny sisters Abby & Paige Miller have led the Tigers to a pair of WPIAL Class 4A titles. The Tigers also won a PIAA title last year and are currently trying to defend that title. Abby Miller is a 5-7 junior setter/outside hitter who was voted to the first team of the WPIAL Class 4A All-Star Team last year. She was also recognized on the PVCA All-State Team. Paige Miller is a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter who was voted to the WPIAL third team last year. They are the daughters of North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller. Abby Miller's thoughts on winning a second WPIAL title. My mom always says: 'It's harder to defend than win.' We were just trying to focus on what we did last year and keep that focus and drive to push us through again this year. This year's title is very different than the first. Last year was the last time in a long time (since 2013) and it meant a lot. This year, beating Baldwin in the finals is a very good win for us. I am very familiar with [North Allegheny's] previous losses to Baldwin in the finals [in 2014 and 2015], even though I wasn't playing. Avenging those losses was important to us. We accomplished a lot as a team. We work really well together. Even practice is a struggle sometimes, but we were able to pull it together and win again. Paige Miller's thoughts on winning a second WPIAL title. It's definitely good that we were able to defend our title. All through the season, people were questioning whether we wanted it as bad as everybody else this year. Today we were able to show everybody how much we wanted to win again. The two titles mean equally as much to me. This year is a testament to us being able to repeat after losing some key seniors. We worked so hard during the season, working to improve every match. It means a lot that we were able to keep that high level of play, even after we lost those players. Our chemistry is so good. We are able to pick each other up when one of us is having a bad game." Abby Miller's thoughts on trying to defend their PIAA title. The experience we gained in the playoffs last year helped us in the WPIAL Tournament. The pressure of being in the state finals is different. A lot of our girls played in the state tournament last year. That experience should help us if we can get that far again. We're going for it. Paige Miller's thoughts on winning more WPIAL titles than her father Brian Miller Dad won one WPIAL title when he played [at North Allegheny]. We have two, and maybe another next year. You never know. Heidi Miller's thoughts on winning back-to-back WPIAL titles It's extra special to have my daughters on the team. Paige is taking on a bigger role this year and Abby is doing different things as both a setter and outside hitter. The maturity they have gained over the past few years has helped them. It's a special bond to be able to do this with them. |