Volleyball: Freedom's New Attitude Leads to Best Season in School History, Familiar Foe Loudoun County Awaits Tonight in Dulles District Semifinals

By Dan Sousa
VivaLoudoun Editor

South Riding (Nov. 4, 2010) - Freedom High School senior Jenna Flanigin has been in the school's volleyball program long enough that she has seen the Eagles reputation come full circle -- from a school that nobody wanted to play in volleyball because they were lacking from a competition standpoint to a school that nobody may want to play because they now the Eagles have enough talent and confidence to play with any team.

"My sophomore year on varsity we were the team that everybody didn't want to play us. Then my junior year we were a little better but some teams still looked down on us. Now we are the team that everybody thinks of as competition," said Flanigin after the Eagles swept Potomac Falls Tuesday night in the Dulles District tournament quarterfinals.

It was the second straight year that Freedom defeated Potomac Falls in the first round of the tournament and this time the victory gave the Eagles a milestone as they clinched a Region II tournament bid for the first time. It also earned Freedom a match-up in the semifinals tonight with a familiar foe, a Loudoun County team that has knocked Freedom out of the Dulles tournament in three of the past four years including in last year's semifinals.

"We really want to take them down, (beat Loudoun County) is one of our goals for the season," said Flanigin.

While Freedom (13-8) managed to take a game from Loudoun County (20-1) in their last meeting in South Riding, the Raiders are still the Gold Standard in local volleyball and the three-time defending AA state champions will be hosting the Eagles at home tonight at 6 p.m. in the first of two semifinals with Broad Run vs. Briar Woods to follow.

When asked what it would take for the upset, Flanigin said: "We have to stay focused and not get intimidated."

In the first years of Freedom's volleyball program the team did not intimidate many as the Eagles managed just four district wins in four years from 2005 to 2008 and three of those came against fellow new school Briar Woods. Then in 2009 in Dave Tsuda's second year, the Eagles reached the .500 mark in district and overall and hosted a district quarterfinal.

This year, under new coach Jim Clark, the Eagles have more district wins (11) than they had in the first five years combined (10).

"Clinching the regionals in pretty exciting. I'm still trying to convince then they are as good as they are," said Clark.

With just two seniors on the roster -- Flanigin and Tori Kramer -- the Eagles are still young though junior Kaitlyn LaMantia has been on varsity all three of her years. It is a roster of players that have put in their dues, having worked their was up from the freshman and JV teams.

Clark's biggest challenge is two-fold, to get the girls to believe in themselves and to get them to buy into the gameplan for each match.

"If we just execute and stay with the gameplan then we have our best showings," said Clark.

While the Eagles and Panthers had gone to five in both their regular-season matches, Freedom did not let Potomac Falls get its footing Tuesday. With the score tied 15-15 in game two, the Eagles scored eight of the next nine points with junior Courtney Phung's strong service game playing a vital role.

During that run, Flanigin had two kills as did sophomore Kayleigh Kennedy in the middle. Kennedy also combined with Kramer on a block and Phung's two aces kept the Panthers from running their offense.

Potomac Falls showed its heart with a five-point run to cut the lead to 23-21, but a service error game Freedom game point and Kramer floated an ace in to end it.

In game three, Potomac Falls was again in position to take the game, this time leading, 20-18, but Jasmine Jackson pushed a ball deep into the corner for a point and a rare rotation violation cost the Panthers a point to make it 20-20. LaMantia fired up the fans with a solo block to put Freedom up, 21-20.

A service error knotted the score at 21-21 but PFalls gave it right back with its own service mistake. Freedom's attack went wide to make it 22-22. Another strong Freedom sophomore, Noa Bell, had a clutch kill to put Freedom up and then Potomac Falls couldn't get off an attack in play on the next two possessions and Freedom had swept the match -- a match that in the past would have gone five.

"Our attitude is completely different this year. We are just a whole new team," said Flanigin.

Freedom Volleyball Year-by-Year
2005
One district win (Briar Woods)

2006
two district wins (swept Briar Woods)

2007
winless in district

2008
one win in district (Park View)

2009
Best regular season with 6-6 district and 10-10 overall
Hosted PFalls in quarterfinals and won; fell to Loudoun County in semifinals to finishe 11-11 overall

2010
11-5 district mark and 13-8 overall record
Hosted Pfalls in quarterfinals and won; faces Loudoun County in semifinals.