Volleyball: Heritage, Stone Bridge Take Tournament Titles; Broad Run and Loudoun County in Dulles Rematch

(Nov. 5, 2010) - The area's best high school girls volleyball teams had to work hard for their victories Thursday night as there were no sweeps with tournament titles on the line.

Heritage survived an epic give-game showdown with rival Loudoun Valley to add the Cedar Run District tournament title to their regular-season crown. Stone Bridge, after going five games with Langley a week ago, needed just four games Thursday to beat the Saxons for the Liberty District tournament title. Like the Pride, the Bulldogs had also won the regular-season crown.

And in the Dulles District, Broad Run and Loudoun County are headed for a tournament finals rematch but only after both teams dropped the first game in the semifinals with the second seed Spartans rebounding to be beat Briar Woods and the host and top seed Raiders coming back to defeat Freedom. Briar Woods and Freedom will play in the consolation finals Saturday at Loudoun County at 6 p.m. followed by the title match.

Liberty District Tournament
Finals
Stone Bridge def. Langley, 25-17, 25-19, 15-25, 25-18
Stone Bridge put together perhaps two of its most impressive games to date as the Bulldogs jumped on Langley behind a supportive home crowd.

"I thought we were playing the best I have ever seen us play. We were so pumped up," said senior Christine Beckham who had 14 kills, 12 digs and nine service points, including five aces, in the match and was named the tournament's MVP.

Joining Beckham on the all-tournament team were senior setter Amanda Miller (33 assists, 3 blocks, 6 digs) and senior libero Amy Christensen (22 digs, 11 service pts, 5 aces).

"We played very well. They stepped it up a lot tonight," said Stone Bridge coach Jill Raschiatore. "Playing Langley, we knew we had to bring our A game."

Miller ran an offense with many options with sophomore Ryan Ackermann (9 kills, 5 digs, 4 blocks, 10 service pts, 3 aces), junior Alex Heyn (11 kills, 4 blocks) and senior Vanessa Paige (5 kills, 1 assist, 1 dig) all contributing.

"We do have a lot of weapons," said Raschiatore.

Also for Stone Bridge, sophomore Mariah Brantley was big in the backrow (10 digs, 7 service pts, 2 aces) and sophomore Haley McClure (1 kill, 3 blocks, 3 digs) and junior Chandni Chudasama (4 service pts, 1 ace) added depth.

Cedar Run District Tournament
Finals
Heritage def. Loudoun Valley, 20-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-18, 18-16
The Pride had swept the Vikes twice in the regular season but on Thursday Valley led 1-0 and 2-1 before Heritage, before its home fans, fought back to take the fourth game and then win the fifth in exciting fashion, 18-16.

Senior Lian Bernett led Heritage with 23 kills and 20 digs to go with a solo block, 4 assisted blocks, and one assist. Junior setter Stephanie Yokoyama had a big game, notching 50 assists to go with 14 service points and 15 digs.

Also for Heritage:
Busa- 9 kills, 3 assisted blocks, 8 points, 1 ace, 22 digs
Fowler- 4 kills, 4 points, 4 digs
Hrebenach- 15 kills, 1 solo block, 3 assisted blocks, 13 points, 3 aces, 8 digs
Le maitre- 7 kills, 1 block, 8 points, 3 aces, 27 digs
Montanez- 1 assisted block, 8 digs
Reed- 1 dig, 11 digs
Runyan- 3 digs

Dulles District Tournament
Semifinals
Loudoun County def. Freedom, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22
Loudoun County overcame a slow start to come back and defeat Freedom for the third time this season. The Raiders were led by Dulles District Player of the Year Jenna Strange (15 kills, 15 digs, 8 points, 4 aces) as well as Maggie Phillips (10 kills, 2 blocks, 2 digs), Sammy Dormio (7 kills, 14 points, 5 aces, 5 digs), Katrina Kirby (7 kills, 2 blocks, 2 digs), Taylor Huewe (4 kills, 5 blocks), Colleen Bowlds (36 assists, 10 digs, 7 points, 4 aces, 1 kill), Jordan Leiter (7 assists, 2 points, 2 digs, 2 aces), Gabby Serafin (20 digs, 6 points, 1 ace), Kathleen Horvath (9 digs, 6 points, 1 ace), Rachel Harrison (2 digs, 1 kill), Megan Fox (1 kill, 1 dig).
Loudoun County improved to 21-1 on the season, and they advanced to the District Final for the 6th consecutive season.

Broad Run def. Briar Woods, 20-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-19
The Spartans and Falcons split in the regular season and they split the first two games Thursday before Broad Run came back to win the pivotal third game, 28-26, and then take the fourth game for the match.

Emily Sears 26 led Broad Run with 26 kills and Mallory Brickerd had 16 and Jess Feddersen played a big role in the comeback with 10

Also for BR
Kills
Hannah Waller 3
Amanda Swanson 1

Blocks:
Jess Feddersen 6
Emily Sears 2
Mallory Brickerd 1
Brenna Sullivan 1
Hannah Waller 1
Molly Maloney 1

Digs:
Jess Feddersen 7
Melissa Miles 7
Emily Sears 5
Mallory Brickerd 3
Brenna Sullivan 2
Michaella Dalusung 2
Molly Maloney 2

Set assists:
Molly Maloney 23

Brenna Sullivan 21