Pine-Richland girls' volleyball coach Emily Gerega enters tonight's Section 3-AAA finale at Oakland Catholic with an uneasy feeling.

"It's an uncomfortable feeling to have to depend on somebody else [for us] to make the playoffs," Gerega said. "If we get in, we will be fortunate. If we don't make it, we have nobody to blame but ourselves."

Pine-Richland enters the final night of the regular season in fourth place with a 7-4 record, but only the top three teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. A fourth team can qualify if there's a tie for third place that cannot be broken by the tiebreaker -- head-to-head competition.

North Allegheny, Seneca Valley and Butler Area have already qualified. Top-ranked North Allegheny and No. 3 Seneca Valley are tied for first place with 9-2 records, while Butler trails by one game at 8-3.

"We need to beat Oakland Catholic and hope that Seneca Valley beats Butler for us to qualify," Gerega said. "That would leave us in a tie with Butler for third place, and we split with them during the regular season."

Pine-Richland also split with Seneca Valley, but lost both matches with North Allegheny. Seneca Valley's other loss was to Butler, but that match took place at Butler. The rematch will be tonight at Seneca Valley.

"We're hoping everything turns out, but we can't afford to overlook Oakland Catholic," said Gerega of the Eagles, who sit in fifth place with a 4-7 record. "We need to win to have a chance."

Pine-Richland has made nine consecutive appearances in the WPIAL tournament and claimed titles in 2001 and 2005.

"If we are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, I'm confident that we have a team that would do well," Gerega said. "If not, I will wish North Allegheny, Seneca Valley and Butler good luck."

Section 3 is clearly the strongest of the five Class AAA sections, as all four teams are ranked among the top eight in the WPIAL. Gerega doesn't mind being in such a strong section.

"I wouldn't want to be in any other section," Gerega said. "Playing in this section helps prepare us for the playoffs."

Pine-Richland's top player is three-year starter Carolyn Steger, a 5-foot-11 senior middle blocker who was voted to the first team of the WPIAL Class AAA All-Stars last year.

"Carolyn has accepted a scholarship offer from Duquesne University," Gerega said.

Steger is joined on the front line by two other returning starters, 5-9 senior middle blocker Melissa Morgan and 5-10 sophomore outside hitter Julia McCabe.

"Carolyn and Julia are our top two hitters," Gerega said.

The trio of hitters are joined by five other returning letter-winners, 5-7 senior outside hitter Cassie Muzzonigro, 5-5 junior setter Maria Nicholas, 5-6 junior defensive specialist Austen Ashworth, 5-4 junior defensive specialist Alyssa Janosko, and 5-8 junior outside hitter Melissa Sirera.

Hanna Muzzonigro, a 5-9 freshman who starts at right-side hitter, has also been used as a setter on occasion.

Other newcomers who have seen significant playing time on the varsity are 5-7 junior right-side hitter Erin Crawford, 5-7 sophomore middle hitter Christy O'Doud, 5-5 sophomore defensive specialist Annie Regan and 5-7 freshman outside hitter Caitlyn Scioscia.