Shot after shot, Parkland fired away at Garnet Valley.

The Trojans’ big hitters landed countless body blows, but couldn’t deliver the knockout punch.

Garnet Valley withstood the attack and denied Parkland a third straight state title, prevailing 25-19, 27-29, 19-25, 25-20, 15-8 in Saturday’s PIAA Class 4A volleyball final at Richland High School in Johnstown.

“That was a really good team,” said Parkland head coach Mike Krause. “Everything they did, they didn’t hit the ball out of play, the setter put the ball on pins extremely well.

“They started out with a little bit of a non-traditional attack out of the middle. We started to figure that out, then their left sides in that fourth and fifth set, and the right side, really came alive, and we really couldn’t find an answer for it. We tried to attack in other areas, but they played tremendous defense. They played hard, had a good serve and they kept the ball in play.”

After dropping the first set, the Trojans appeared to turn the tide by taking the second set 29-27. Parkland trailed until going ahead 21-20 on a Sam Graver kill for its first lead since a 1-0 advantage in the first set, overcoming seven ties before closing out the set.

The momentum seemed to carry into the third set. Though the Jaguars were able to tie it on eight different occasions, with the last coming at 13-13, the Trojans never trailed en route to a 2-1 lead in the match.

But Garnet Valley didn’t give in.

A 5-0 surge in the fourth set with the score tied at 17-17 shifted the energy back to the Jaguars, who took the set. Garnet Valley trailed 2-0 in the fifth set before going on a 7-1 run to take a 7-3 lead and all but wrap up the fifth set and the title.

Playing a five-set match was nothing new for the Jaguars, who advanced to the final with 3-2 wins in the two previous rounds of the state tournament. Garnet Valley, the fifth place team out of District 1, topped Baldwin 17-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-7 in the quarterfinals before knocking off State College 23-25, 25-22, 25-15, 21-25, 15-12 in the semis.

“It absolutely helped us a ton,” said Jaguars’ head coach Mark Clark. “We knew we could win a five set match back-to-back. We knew that we could win a five set match being down 0-2. It definitely helped us.

“We just focus on one pass, one point at a time. We knew we could do it. We always play with confidence, but we played with a little more confidence.”

Garnet Valley was also aided by a stellar defensive performance, as Lizzie Herestofa recorded 42 digs. Sydney Portale added 15 digs, while Amber Goldberg tallied 13, Cassidy Gallagher had 12 and Meagan Scott had 11.

Gabby Davis dished out 48 assists and Nicole Loan had 14 kills for the Jaguars.

“When they came out there, nothing hit the floor,” said Graver. “Kudos to them. They’re a great, great team.”

Graver was key in helping District 11 champion Parkland retake the lead earlier in the match, coming up with big plays in critical moments.

But the Jaguars always seemed to have an answer for whatever the Trojans threw at them.

“Sam tried to do everything,” Krause said. “She tried to take it over her shoulders. She put her heart out there. She was so emotionally into it. The energy of this place takes it out of you even more. But she kept on fighting. She really helped us in those earlier sets. I’m real proud of what Sam has brought to this program.”

And Graver, the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference MVP, couldn’t have been more thankful for what Krause and the team have done for her.

“Parkland volleyball is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” the senior said. “From the start of ninth grade, I’ve learned so much. And coach Krause and the whole coaching staff and the team has made me the person I am today, honestly, on and off the court. I can’t thank them enough.

“This team has made me who I am today. It’s not just me that did anything. All the honors were not because of me. It was because of my teammates.”

Though the Trojans will lose several key players in Graver, Morgan Sherwin, Megan Shaw and Paige Konsko. But the rest of the squad returns and should be primed for another deep run in the postseason.

“Everyone has come so far,” said Graver. “We had young players filling spots and they’ve become just such great players. They’ve got a great team for next year.”

All four of Parkland’s matches in the tournament were against teams from District 1. The Trojans beat District 1 third place team Council Rock North 3-0 in the first round; District 1 runner-up Plymouth Whitemarsh 3-0 in the quarterfinals; and District 1 champion Bishop Shanahan 3-1 in the semis before losing to Garnet Valley in the finals.