The Mt. Lebanon High School girls' volleyball program has made nine appearances in the WPIAL Class AAA title match since 1995.

The most recent of the title appearances was last year, as the Blue Devils won their fourth WPIAL championship.

Coach Dawn Begor's 2008 squad will begin defense of its title next week, as the WPIAL playoffs are scheduled to begin Wednesday. The WPIAL Volleyball Steering Committee will meet Monday to set up the brackets.

"It will be interesting to see where the top teams are seeded," Begor said. "We've had our ups and downs during the season, but we are playing well as we enter the playoffs."

Mt. Lebanon finished the regular season tied with Moon for the Section 5-AAA title. Both teams posted 9-1 records in the section and split their two matches.

"Moon won, 3-2, in the first half and the fifth game was 15-13," Begor said. "We won, 3-1, in the second half. The difference is that we just weren't playing well in the first half. We were making a lot of mistakes and going through a bad stretch. We are playing much better now."

Mt. Lebanon entered the week at No. 2 in the WPIAL Class AAA rankings, while Moon was No. 4. North Allegheny held the top spot, while Seneca Valley was No. 3 and Shaler No. 5.

"We knew coming into the season that the title was up for grabs," Begor said. "And that's still the case. There are five teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the title. It all depends on who's healthy and who can get on a run."

Many of the top teams will face off Saturday at the North Allegheny Tournament, but Begor doesn't think the results will drastically change the brackets.

"North Allegheny's top player is out with a sprained ankle," Begor said. "And every team will most likely be shorthanded because SATs will be conducted the same day. It will be a good tuneup for us, but I don't think it will change the brackets."

This will be the third tournament this season for Mt. Lebanon.

"We placed second in the Mt. Lebanon tournament, losing to North Allegheny in the final," Begor said. "We won the Shaler tournament [title], beating Pine-Richland in the final."

Mt. Lebanon also had three non-section matches. The Blue Devils beat North Allegheny and lost to Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

"Every team has setbacks during the season," Begor said. "It's how you deal with the setbacks that determines how well you do. We went through a couple bad stretches, but rebounded when it really mattered."

Mt. Lebanon has seven players who lettered last year, including two who were voted to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State team last year, Sara Scheirman and Kate Begor. Scheirman is a 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter who has accepted a scholarship offer to Duquesne University. Begor, a 5-11 junior setter, is the coach's daughter.

"Sara and Kate are our most experienced players," coach Begor said. "The other players look to them for leadership. Sara is the most powerful hitter in the WPIAL.

"Kate is one of the best setters in the WPIAL, which says a lot since she didn't start setting until last year. She was a right-side hitter as a freshman, then moved to setter last year. She has great court awareness and is able to run a pretty fast-tempo offense."

The other five returning letter-winners are 5-8 junior right-side hitter Alex Taylor, 5-8 senior right-side hitter Kate Revitsky, 5-11 junior middle hitter Rebecca Riemer, 5-4 senior back-row specialist Megan McGonigle and 5-4 senior back-row specialist Kirsten Dadowski.

"Alex missed three weeks after incurring a broken finger against North Allegheny," Begor said. "Kate Revitsky did a great job filling in while Alex was injured."

Begor has four others who are seeing significant playing time, 5-11 junior middle hitter Colleen Daugherty, 5-8 junior defensive specialist Marlee Beuke, 5-5 freshman outside hitter Laura Dadowski and 5-4 freshman libero Caroline Dadowski.

"Laura and Caroline are twins," Begor said. "And both are freshmen. Both are starting for us and both have done a great job."

Mt. Lebanon concludes its regular-season match schedule tonight with a non-section game against visiting Thomas Jefferson.