“They’ve come really, really far,” first year Loyalsock coach Allyson Butcher said. “We faced Troy earlier in the season, and that’s not the same team we played, so I’m really proud of us.”

Troy pulled out a 25-23 first set win, but Loyalsock rallied for a 26-24 second set victory to level things up. The Trojans gutted out a 27-25 third set win, then rallied from a 7-1 deficit to pull out a 25-19 victory to clinch the match.

Aly Hughes had 12 kills to lead the Lancers to go with two aces on the day, as Peyton Phillips finished with eight kills. Layla Wetzel was all over the place on the court with her setting on offense and blocking on defense. She kept the Trojans on their toes with seven kills on the evening.

On the service line Layla Jansis had five aces on the night.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Aly Hughes goes for a kill during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

Troy’s Ary Andrus continued to play well like she had throughout the tournament, leading the Trojans with 26 of their 50 kills on the night.

“I told the girls they just needed to stay low,” Butcher said about countering Andrus. “Even when she was in we had her — they were intimidated. She’s a big girl, she’s good.”

In the opening set it was back and forth with Troy taking an early lead of 6-3 only for the Lancers to rally for a 13-11 advantage.

They were nursing a 15-14 lead when Troy scored six straight to take a 20-15 lead. However, Loyalsock punched back, scoring eight of the next 11 points to knot things up at 23-all.

Troy would get a kill on the next point, then scored the first set win on a Lancer hit into the net for the 2-point victory.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Peyton Phillips goes for a kill during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

Loyalsock came out strong in the second set as they were up 5-1. The Trojans rallied to tie it up at 7-7, but Loyalsock answered with six of the next eight points to take 13-9 lead. Troy chipped away, eventually taking an 18-15 lead of their own, which they pushed to 20-16. Troy got as close as 23-21 to clinching the second set, but a passing error from the Trojans followed by a block out of Phillips saw the match tied up at 23-all.

Coming out of a timeout Troy got a kill to take a 24-23 lead, but a service error on their part tied up the set. Another Trojan error put the Lancers up 25-24, with Phillips ending the set on a kill for the 2-point Loyalsock win.

The third set saw the teams battle back and forth all the way through with neither team getting a lead of more than three points.

With the match tied at 18-all Troy rallied off two straight to go up 20-18, only to watch Loyalsock tie things back up at 21-21. A service error from the Lancers, followed by a Troy kill put them back on top 23-21, but a service error on the Trojans made it a 1-point set again. A Troy kill put them on the brink, but back to back Loyalsock kills out of Williams and Wetzel tied the match-up.

The two teams traded points for a 25-all score, but an Andrus kill, followed by a Troy ace saw them take the set 27-25.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Madi Mercaldo goes for a kill during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

The Lancers raced out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth set, and led 12-7 at one point before the Trojans chipped away, tying it up at 14-all. They led 16-14 only for Loyalsock to come back to knot things up at 16-all.

The Trojans, though, scored five straight points after that to take a 21-16 lead, and Loyalsock never recovered. They got as close as 21-18 but Troy out scored them 5-1 in the final five points to get the win.

While Loyalsock came up short this was a historic postseason for the Lancers as they reached their first district title match in program history.

“I’m excited getting a little confidence built up,” said Butcher. “We’ll come back stronger next year.”

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Layla Wetzel and Peyton Phillips try to block a ball during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock players celebrate after scoring a point during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Layla Wetzel sets the ball during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Lydia Kresock records a dig during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.

CHRIS MANNING/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Sophia Miller records a dig during Thursday's District 4 Class AA championship against Troy.