The 2025 championship season has special meaning to the members of the Eden Christian Academy girls volleyball team.
Fourth-year coach Jillian Zentko and her group of assistants — Nichole Falavolito, Kelly Amorose, Lindsay Oliver and Zentko’s dad, Bob Babish — guided the Warriors to the first district title in any sport at Eden.
The Warriors won the WPIAL Class A crown with a 3-1 victory against Serra Catholic in the championship round Nov. 1 at Peters Township’s AHN Arena.
“I am so thankful for my coaching staff and their commitment to this team,” Zentko said. “They pour so much time, energy and heart into our girls, and none of what we accomplished this season would have been possible without them.
“It is also incredibly special for me to coach alongside my dad. Before he stopped coaching football in 2001, he spent close to 40 years leading programs at East Liverpool and South Fayette, and he also coached under Joe Walton at Robert Morris. He helped build strong, successful teams, winning WPIAL titles and national championships. He truly understands what it takes to create a championship culture. I am grateful for his guidance, his wisdom and the love he has for this sport, for the team and for our program. Being able to coach with him the past four years has truly been a blessing.”
The members of the Warriors’ coaching staff weren’t the only ones filling leadership roles at Eden this season.
“I also want to express how grateful I am for our administration,” Zentko said. “Their support for our program this year was incredible. They encouraged us, believed in our girls, prayed for us and made sure we had what we needed to succeed. Having leadership that stands behind our athletes and our mission means so much.
“Our fan base was another huge blessing. The way our families, friends, students and community showed up for us all season long was unforgettable. Whether we were at home or traveling across the state, we always felt supported. Their energy and encouragement carried our girls in so many moments and truly made a difference.”
Eden Christian finished as the Section 5-A runner-up behind Fort Cherry then went “above and beyond” its second goal established early by the team.
“We came up just short of the section title, but the girls stayed focused on the bigger picture and accomplished our second goal in a really special way,” Zentko said. “Our seniors set the tone with our heartbeat of ‘Playing His Way,’ keeping our focus on glorifying God through everything we did. That foundation helped steady us through the highs and lows.”
The successful Eden coach added that playing nonsection matches against opponents in higher classifications was another factor in the Warriors’ success.
“Facing strong competition exposed where we needed to grow and pushed us to elevate our game so we would be ready by the end of the year,” Zentko said.
The Warriors were led by first-team all-section selections Ava Arnold, a 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter/defensive specialist, Ainsley Chevalier, a 5-8 senior setter, Erin Hull, a 5-9 sophomore setter/right-side hitter, and Emily Muir, a 6-foot sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist.
Arnold, Hull and Muir also were voted to the all-WPIAL Class A first team. Chevalier, a second team selection, led the Warriors in serving percentage (95%).
“I’m so proud of how we played this year,” Chevalier said. “We grew a ton as a group, especially having a younger team, and you could see us getting more connected and confident every time we stepped on the court. Everyone took their role and ran with it.
“God ultimately guided our team through the ups and downs this season. We leaned on Him in everything. That really helped us stay grounded and play with purpose for His glory.”
Chevalier said the Warriors thrived under the pressure of playing for the WPIAL title for the first time.
“One thing’s for sure; we came in ready to play,” she said. “I think a lot of us felt this underlying pressure, but we were focused, calm and played with a lot of heart. I think we stayed disciplined and didn’t let the moment get too big, which made a huge difference. It was one of those games where you could feel all the work we put in paying off on the court.
“Winning the WPIAL was really a full-circle moment. When Ava and I were freshman, we got destroyed in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs in that same gym. So, it was an unbelievable feeling to win on that same court. It’s something we’ve talked and dreamed about for so long. Being able to actually make it happen was such a blessing. Also ending our game with prayer on the court, deflecting the glory right back to God, is a memory we will all cherish forever.”
Arnold, who signed Nov. 12 with West Virginia Wesleyan, paced the Warriors in attacks and serve-receiving. She powered Eden past the Eagles in the district finals with a match-high 14 kills on 38 total attacks to go along with her seven digs.
“We were very excited after the game and took lots of pictures to remember this historic moment for our school and program,” Arnold said. “But we got right back to work in the gym to prepare for states. Our season came to an end when we faced Clarion in first round of states last year, so despite being the higher seed, we knew there would be no more ‘easy’ games.”
No. 4 Eden Christian did not lose more than one game in any round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs, blanking No. 13 Springdale, 3-0, then winning 3-1 against No. 5 St. Joseph, No. 1 Frazier and, in the finals, No. 6 Serra Catholic.
The Warriors were a determined group against Serra, their section rival, at Peters Township’s AHN Arena, winning three consecutive sets 25-29, 25-13 and 25-15 after losing by a 25-21 score in the first.
“We were a gritty team,” Zentko said. “Our players, especially our sophomores, have always had that toughness in them. They never let the score dictate their mindset, and they trusted each other deeply on the court.
And finally, the girls were all-in. Our offseason commitment and participation were huge. Nearly the entire team showed up consistently, worked hard and built chemistry long before August. That foundation carried directly into our success during the season and postseason.”
Hull was huge on both offense and defense in the WPIAL finals as she had 15 kills and 12 service points to go along with nine digs, a team-high 19 assists and four block assists.
Chevalier also was a key contributor, ending the day with 17 assists and nine digs.
“I’m just super grateful for my teammates, coaches, our fans, and most of all, for God’s faithfulness throughout the season,” Chevalier said. “This team is special, and I’m thankful I got to be part of something bigger than myself these past four years. This program is truly something special.”
Hull and Muir spearheaded the Warriors’ dynamic sophomore class that also included two other starters, 5-10 MH/RS/OH Addi Mathieu and 5-6 defensive specialist/libero Bella Yurkovac, both second-team all-section picks, along with 5-7 right-side hitter Phoebe Falavolito.
Yurkovac was the team leader in digs and ranked second in serve-receives.
Allison Muir, a 6-foot senior MH, and Kylie Polard, a 5-10 senior MH/OH, rounded out the starting lineup and ended up first and second on the team in blocks.
Arnold, Chevalier, Muir, Polard and DS/L Mia Goetz provided the senior leadership on this year’s championship team.
The Warriors’ rotation also consisted of juniors S/RS Coral Meyer and DS/L Nina Oliver, both second-team all-section selections, and freshman Peach Oliver (DS/L), who was named to the third team.
“We were able to finish on top,” Zentko said, “knocking off the No. 1-ranked team Frazier in the semifinals and then earning a rematch with Serra Catholic in the finals to capture the district title. Serra was the one team that beat us in section play and kept us from winning the section, so facing them again for the championship felt like a full-circle moment.
“The girls rose to the occasion, stayed composed and played some of their best volleyball of the season when it mattered most.”