PBSD Women Prepare to Play at the Collegiate Level
Several Plum High School seniors are preparing to
continue participation in sports at the college or university
they will be attending. Many committed on “Signing Day”.
Gianna Palmieri started in lacrosse just two years ago as
a Plum sophomore. The girls program had just launched,
and Palmieri picked up a stick and began learning the rules
of the game. Fast forward to now, and she has benefited
from her accumulated skills. Palmieri committed to play at
Hiram (Ohio). “I’ve really grown as an individual, and the
team has grown as a whole with new players contributing
all the time,” said Palmieri, who has helped Plum start —
its first as a full WPIAL member — 3-2. “I am very happy
to continue my career at Hiram. It is a great fit for me.”
Palmieri said she hopes to be an example for younger
Plum girls who aspire to play the sport. Palmieri and fellow
seniors Shannon Soboslay, Caitlin Boyle and Taylor Fusco
have been with the Plum team since its start in 2015.
She, along with seniors Maria Lawhorne (Washington
& Jefferson, basketball) and Sarah Kirkpatrick (Duquesne,
bowling) made their decisions final and were celebrated
on the first day spring signing period. Maria Lawhorne
led the Plum basketball team in scoring as a senior, and
the 5-foot-11 forward chosen to the all-section team. She
said she’s excited to build off the momentum from last
season, when Plum reached WPIAL playoffs, into her new
venture with W&J. “When I visited the campus, it really felt
like home,” Lawhorne said. “It was a great fit. I had other
options, but I felt very comfortable there.”
Lawhorne took part in the annual Cager Classic three
weeks ago. She also will play in the prestigious Roundball
Classic on April 28-29 at Geneva. It is a chance for
Lawhorne to shine with and play against some of the top
senior stars from the area. “It’s an honor to be selected
for this game, she said. The Roundball Classic has such a
special history with some of the best players of all time
in the area. It’s an awesome opportunity to share stories
with everyone and talk about what everyone is doing
after high school. It will give everyone a taste of the level
of basketball in college and how you will play with these
types of players for the next couple of years.”
Kirkpatrick helped the Plum bowling team develop and
continue a section winning streak that has surpassed 40
matches. She was a big part of the Mustangs’ run to a 2016
state championship. Now she hopes to have an impact
with a growing Duquesne bowling program that just
completed its second season. “It’s exciting to see where
the (Duquesne) team can go in the next couple of years,
hopefully to nationals, Kirkpatrick said. They’ve already
done great things so far.” Kirkpatrick said she first met the
coach at regionals last year, and she kept in touch with the
program. “It’s exciting to see more opportunities for girls
at Plum and other schools in the area to be able to bowl at
the next level,” she said. Kirkpatrick said she will miss all her
Plum teammates. “They are my sisters. They are fantastic
people, she said. We didn’t know what kind of team we
were going to have this year after we lost two key players
(to graduation). But everyone stepped up, and we were
able to make states. I am so proud of everyone.” The Plum
girls placed eighth at this year’s team state tournament.
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