The Barnstable Patriot, November 22, 2013
How ‘sweep’ it is!
Written by Kathleen Szmit
Barnstable girls win 16th State Championship
Kathleen Szmit Photos
CELEBRATING SWEET 16 – The Barnstable girls varsity volleyball team erupts into cheers after winning their 16th Div. 1 State Championship against Newton North Nov. 16 with a 3-0 sweep.
Kathleen Szmit Photo
CHAMPS AGAIN – The Barnstable girls varsity volleyball team – senior captains Holly Wilson (30), Liz Gorill (22), Colleen Kenney (38), Stephanie Martin (17), Hannah Andres (27), Ciara Bruning (13), Julia Corbett (28), and Ashley McCarthy (8), Megan Dombrowski (33), Madison Sollows (2), Emma Glover (10), Nicole Derosier (14), Picabo Miskiv (23) and Olivia Brodt (3), along with assistant coaches Jessi Goode and Marylou Martin and head coach Tom Turco – celebrate winning their 16th Div. 1 State Championship Nov. 16 against Newton North.
Sweet 16 means different things to different sports fans. For Barnstable volleyball fans it means celebrating the program’s 16th State Championship victory, won by the 2013 Red Raiders with their 3-0 sweep of Newton North on, fittingly, Nov. 16.
Although Tigers fans rallied admirably behind their team, the night belonged to Barnstable, with the Red Raiders cruising to game wins of 25-10, 25-15, and 25-11 en route to securing another Div. 1 State title.
After the last point was tallied, no one could erase the smiles from the faces of the players and their longtime head coach, Tom Turco, who cheered along with fans as the girls collapsed into a cheering heap in the middle of the gym floor at Algonquin Regional High School.
I’m proud of the girls for all their hard work and sacrifice during the season,” Turco said.
“The game was awesome and the team was great,” said senior captain Stephanie Martin. “Barnstable worked as hard as we could and we just kept the energy up the whole time.”
Colleen Kenney, also a senior captain, echoed Martin’s sentiments.
“It was the best season,” she said. “I’m so proud of everyone and what we did.”
The evening began with Barnstable peeling off six straight points before Newton North got on the scoreboard. The dominating Raiders went on to hold leads in Game 1 of 10-1, 12-2, and 17-5 before claiming the first game 25-10.
Game 2 opened with a spectacular volley between the two teams, with Barnstable earning the opening point before the Tigers tied it at 1-1.
For a short stretch, Newton North kept pace with the Red Raiders, trailing only by a few points, but Barnstable ultimately took a 15-5 lead and parlayed it into a 25-15 win.
The third game started similarly to the second, with the teams trading points before the Red Raiders trumped the Tigers with a 22-10 edge before wrapping up the championship with a final score of 25-11.
Ciara Bruning recorded 11 kills across three games, while Hannah Andres added nine, Kenney six and Madison Sollows four.
Holly Wilson led the way with digs, recording 12, while Andres had eight, as did Nicole Derosier, Martin seven, Bruning four, and Olivia Brodt three, along with an impressive 28 assists.
“The common thing that they share is a love for the game,” said Turco. “They are as excited to come to practice as they are to compete in matches.”
Turco said that while coaches always feel a sense of cautious concern during every match, he felt his team was prepared to face each team they took on this season, in which the Red Raiders went undefeated with a record of 23-0 overall.
Turco said his senior leadership was invaluable.
“The seniors were terrific this year,” he said. “Steph, Holly, Hannah, Ciara, Colleen, Julia (Corbett) and Liz (Gorrill) were a tremendous source of positive energy on the team. [The team’s] willingness to put [their] goals ahead of any personal goals is reflective of the leadership of the seniors. I think the younger players looked up to them and rightfully so.”
Turco added that solid coaching between himself and assistants Marylou Martin and Jessi Goode was also an important factor in the team’s success.
“I am fortunate to have incredibly dedicated and hard working coaches,” he said. “Marylou has been with me 10 years and Jessi played for me in high school and has coached here three years. We are all motivated by the high goals of the team and the energy of the players.”
Martin said that while coaching her own daughters, Stephanie and previously Maribeth, has been special, she considers the entire team to be family.
“I am proud of all the girls,” she said. “The way I look at it, they’re just like my daughter. All of them.”
As the team continued celebrating among throngs of family and friends after the presentation of medals and trophies, Holly Wilson summed up the season.
“It’s so exciting,” she said. “We’ve been working so hard ever since we were little and just working up to this point, getting to high school, and making this happen. Being coached by Coach Turco, having the team that we’ve had the past couple years has been an amazing experience.”
CAPE COD TIMES, November 17, 2013
By Paul Godfrey, Contributing Writer
CROWN JEWELS
Barnstable Volleyball No. 1 Again
Colleen Kenney, right, hugs Stephanie Martin as Liz Gorrill (22) gets some love from a teammate after Barnstable swept Newton North in the MIAA Division 1 state volleyball championship at Algonquin Regional High School in Northboro on Saturday night. Photo by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb
Barnstable celebrates after the final point in its win over Newton North in the MIAA Division 1 state volleyball championship t Algonquin Regional high school in Northborough Saturday.
Photo by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb
Cape Cod Photos available online at www.capecodonline.com/media
NORTHBORO — The amount of state championships is as mind-boggling as are the consecutive seasons which line up like dominos to form this dynasty. But it all comes down to a single number. One perfect team that had a unified goal of becoming number one again.
The Barnstable Red Raiders volleyball team captured its 16th state championship and fourth in a row, sweeping Newton North 3-0 in the MIAA Division 1 state final at Algonquin Regional High School Saturday night.
How sweet it is!
It was the 10th title in the last 11 seasons for the Red Raiders, who won in dominating fashion, 25-10, 25-15, 25-11 to complete their second straight perfect season with a 23-0 record. Newton North finishes its season at 20-4.
Ciara Bruning led the Barnstable attack with 12 kills while fellow seniors Hannah Andres had eight and Colleen Kenney added six. Junior setter Olivia Brodt had three aces to go along with her numerous assists for the Red Raiders while senior Stephanie Martin and junior Nicole Derosier provided outstanding defense from the backline.
Barnstable never trailed in any of the three games, finishing its run to the state title with its fifth straight tournament sweep.
"It feels sweet!" said Red Raiders coach Tom Turco of his 16th championship afterwards. "Like the rest of them, these girls go out on the limb and set their goals really high. They sacrifice and work together and I'm really happy for them."
The teams met in the regular season in Hyannis, with Barnstable winning handily in three games. After the Tigers served the opening point into the net and Brodt reeled off five straight points on serve, this had all the makings of another rout and a countdown to the coronation.
"When we played them the first time we had a setter in her first game and we just changed our line-up," said Newton North coach Richard Barton. "Tonight, Barnstable was just so good. Compared to last year's team, this team is quite a bit stronger. They're steady everywhere and they run offense in every position, not just the middle."
Wilson reeled off five points in a row to give the Red Raiders an 18-6 lead. Back-to-back sets from Brodt across the net to Bruning for kills was followed by Liz Gorrill's block to close out game one.
Andres had three kills from the outside to help Barnstable roll to a double-digit lead in the middle game at 15-5 as the relentless digs from Derosier turned the defense into offense.
"We attacked from the outside a lot more than usual," Turco said of this year's squad. "Any time we dig a ball in system, we want to go as fast as we can. When you can turn that into a quick point, that's hard on the other team."
The Red Raiders broke a 4-4 deadlock in game three with an 11-0 run, ending any hope the Tigers had of getting their service game and attack from the backline going.
"We try to over-prepare for our opponent," said Turco of his concerns heading into the final. "I kept watching the film and they attacked like crazy out of the back row. These kids on the bench had to simulate everything Newton North did all week long and that helped us."
When the Tigers final serve went wide, the bench and fans swarmed the court. Seniors Holly Wilson, Martin and Andres were at the center of the celebration, having been members of all four state title teams.
"It feels so awesome because we worked so hard as a team," said Martin, surrounded by her large family and friends as she posed we the trophy. "Celebrating with the family is the best part."
Andres, who keyed the game three run by winning 10 straight points on her serve, echoed her teammate. "We wanted to end on a good note so bad and it just felt really special to end like that."
"We have the same goals every year and this is always our number one goal," said Wilson, who also was deadly from the service line with runs of five in a row in the first two games. "This is going to be the top thing I remember from high school."
For Turco, picking his favorite team would be like someone picking their favorite child, though few have 16 of them. "They're all great. I'm blessed to be able to teach and coach at the school and to have athletes that are so dedicated to one another. The best part is to be able to see your team reach their goals and to graduate the seniors with a smile. There's nothing else that compares to that. It's an awesome feeling."
And a feeling that resonated all the way back to the Cape and one that will last forever.
The Boston Globe, November 17, 2013
By Liz Torres and Tom Flanagan
Sweet 16: Barnstable wins another state title
After a 5-16 record his first year, decorated Barnstable coach Tom Turco had a dream — one championship.
After Saturday, he has 16.
His undefeated Red Raiders swept Newton North at Algonquin Regional in Northborough, 25-10, 25-15, 25-11, to register the program’s 16th Division 1 state title.
“I had a dream of one [championship],’’ Turco said. “Back in the day, the state championships were at Waltham and I used to drive to Billerica with my family and I’d tell my wife, ‘some day, some day, I’m going to be on a bus with some players going to a state championship.’ ”
Seventeen seasons later, he is the winningest high school girls’ volleyball coach in Massachusetts history with 571 victories.
Turco stood for the entire match, all 66 minutes. Aside from urging to his players to watch out for Newton North threats Alana King and Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Turco watched his squad do what they know how to do best — win.
Ciara Bruning (12 kills) helped extend a lead in the third game with a tip-hit combo, and a tip by Colleen Kenney (six kills) and an Olivia Brodt ace handed Barnstable a 19-6 lead. Thomas-Waheed’s efforts for the Tigers ended after a service error, ending the match at 25-11. Hannah Andres contributed five kills for Newton North.
Despite King’s efforts in the second set, errors forced coach Richard Barton to call two timeouts with Newton North trailing, 11-5.
Thomas-Waheed rallied with a pair of hits and an ace to cut the deficit to 21-14, but Newton North errors and a Madison Sollows hit concluded the set for the Red Raiders, 25-15.
Although King picked up the offense for Newton North (19-3) late in the first set, the Tigers’ 15 unforced errors handed Barnstable a 21-8 lead after a pair of hits by Bruning. A Kenney tip and a Red Raiders’ block ended the set, 25-10.
Barnstable, which won it fourth straight state title and 10th in 11 seasons, finished 23-0, the Red Raiders’ 10th unbeaten season in Turco’s 26 years at the helm.
The program’s last unbeaten season was in 2011. The Red Raiders have 19 South Sectional championships.
ESPN High School Report
By Phil Garceau | ESPNBoston.com
View Full Article Online
Volleyball: Barnstable, NDA, Frontier take state titles
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. -- At the end of that day, there can only be one team standing. And for 10 of the last 11 years, and the fourth consecutive year, it has been the Barnstable Red Raiders. A true decade of dominance.
And the way the Red Raiders are playing right now, it looks as if they are set for a century of dominance.
The scene is all too familiar for Barnstable coach Tom Turco. Clear his schedule for the middle of November, because he has a trophy to hoist. It’s almost become as regular as an annual family reunion.
From start to finish, the Red Raiders were quicker, stronger and faster than Newton North, winning in straight sets 25-10, 25-15 and 25-11, capping off a perfect finish to one of the more dominant seasons in recent memory.
Sure, a 23-0 season is pretty impressive. But the Red Raiders took it a step beyond that. Barnstable played a total of 73 sets this season and won 69 of them. Twenty of their wins came via a 3-0 victory, including every match this postseason. Twice they were pushed to a fourth set and only one time did a match go five sets.
“It feels sweet," Turco said following his fourth straight championship season. “These girls go out on a limb, set their goals really high and they sacrifice, they work and they stuck together out there and I’m really happy for them.”
This Barnstable team was not the same as we’ve come to expect from the Red Raiders. This team takes their defense and turns it into offense. They don’t allow the ball to hit the ground and transition quickly from defense to offense. Once they are set up, they don’t attack through the middle, which the Raiders have done for years, and instead attack from the outside.
“”Barnstable forever, we’ve been attacking from the middle, 90 percent of our hits come from the middle,” said Turco. “This year we kept Hannah [Andres] and [Ciara] Bruning on the outside and we knew we had to quicken it up. The quicker you can get the attack off, the less time the defense has and the block has to set up.”
Seniors Bruning and Andres couldn’t be contained on the Barnstable front line. Sophomore Madison Sollows added a third dimension to Raiders attack for which the Tigers had no answer.
“I give all the credit to Barnstable,” Tigers coach Richard Barton said. “It was very cool to watch them play, uncool to be the team losing to them, but we played fine and got nothing out of it."
Three of these Red Raiders, from the time they were freshmen up until Saturday night, were on the floor for each of the four championships. Stephanie Martin, Holly Wilson and Andres saw all four and Martin saw something special about this group of players.
“This team, we’re closer and we spend more time together and we work hard on the court. We bond more off court and on court and it brings the team together.”
The Red Raiders wasted no time establishing themselves as the dominant team, grabbing a 12-1 lead to begin the game. Three times in the opening set the Raiders made runs of six points.
Barnstable got off to anther hot stat in the second set, jumping out to a 15-6 lead before the Panthers, led by Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, found a bit of a rhythm. Newton North lost, 25-15, but matched Barnstable every point for the remainder of the set giving them hope for the third set.
The first eight points were evenly split before Barnstable went on a dominant 11-0 run, giving themselves a 15-4 and a championship coming into sight.
“This is why they’re different this year,” said Barton. “They attack every ball that came over. They’re steadier in every regard. They run offense from all positions instead of the middle, they pass better, nothing hits the floor.”
Junior setter Olivia Brodt set the ball up for all of her hitters, leaving the Tigers defense guessing.
“[Brodt] came into camp in unbelievable physical condition,” Turco explained. “She worked for this and wasn’t going to be denied.”
CAPE COD TIMES, November 16, 2013
sports@capecodonline.com
Barnstable volleyball plays for state title today
Barnstable girls volleyball players (left to right: Madison Sollows, Olivia Brodt, and Ciara Bruning) in a game earlier this year against New Bedford.
Photo by Mike Valeri
One more win stands between Barnstable girls volleyball and its 16th Division 1 state title.
The undefeated Red Raiders (22-0) face Newton North (20-3) for a 6 p.m. match at Algonquin Regional High in Northborough today.
The Raiders defeated the Tigers, 3-1, in the title game last season.
Barnstable is looking to win its fourth straight state championship and 10th in the last 11 years.
So far this postseason, the Raiders have swept all four of their opponents in three sets. In the regular season, Barnstable was pushed to a four-set match just twice and a five-set match once.
Barnstable beat Newton North 3-0 during the regular season.
In Wednesday's state semifinal victory over Andover, senior co-captain Stephanie Martin had 19 digs and senior co-captain Hannah Andres had 12 digs while junior Nicole Derosier recorded 14. Andres led the offensive attack with 10 kills while another senior co-captain Liz Gorrill added seven kills. Brodt had 27 assists.
CAPE COD TIMES, November 15, 2013
By Jen McCaffrey
jmccaffrey@capecodonline.com
In the Zone: Barnstable volleyball a best seller
Bridgewater 11/13/2013
Colleen Kenney (38) and Ciara Bruning (center) and Olivia Brodt of Barnstable prepare for an Andover serve in the MIAA Div. 1 State semifinal volleyball match at Bridgewater-Raynham high school
Cape Cod Times/Ron Schloerb
HYANNIS – The nets were lined up perpendicular to the basketball hoops in a bright Barnstable High gymnasium earlier this week.
It could have been any other day this fall, save for the snow outside, as the Red Raiders volleyball team toiled away in preparation of their next opponent.
But this week was a little different and yet quite familiar at the same time. The Raiders were back in the Division 1 state tournament again. The Raiders have won 15 state titles since 1993, nine in the last 10 years and three straight.
For most teams, it's the one or two years where the perfect mix of chemistry and talent create a championship season. For Barnstable, the one season where that mix didn't produce a title is the one that sticks out as the anomaly.
That was four years ago when New Bedford beat the Red Raiders in the South Sectional semifinals.
“My sister was a senior on that team,” said current Barnstable senior co-captain Stephanie Martin. “We got the feel of what it was like to not to win. And it also showed us what not to do as a senior and what we could learn from that. The positive energy is what we need to focus on as leaders and we want to keep an upbeat tempo during the game.”
Now this group of seven seniors – Martin, Holly Wilson, Colleen Kenney, Ciara Bruning, Hannah Andres, Liz Gorrill, Julia Corbett – who were in eighth grade the last time Barnstable didn't end its season as state champion is on the cusp of leading the program to its consecutive state crown.
Barnstable swept Andover on Wednesday, 3-0, in the Div. 1 state semifinals. Andover entered that match 24-1.
On Saturday, Barnstable face Newton North at Algonquin Regional High in Northboro for a rematch of the 2012 Div. 1 state title game, which Barnstable won, 3-1. The Tigers snapped Barnstable's 42-match winning streak last season before losing to the Raiders in the state finals.
This season, Newton North was one of two teams to bring Barnstable to a four-set match. Notre Dame of Hingham was the only team to challenge the Raiders with a five-set match. The Raiders prevailed each time.
Barnstable has won 66 of 70 sets this season, including a 12-0 run in the playoffs, pushing its overall record to 22-0.
The seniors along with juniors Nicole Derosier and Olivia Brodt have carried Barnstable to a top 25 national ranking. The are 18th in CBS Sports' MaxPreps poll. Only three other teams from East Coast (New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida) cracked the rankings.
But while Barnstable's success is unheralded in these parts, it's almost taken for granted. So how have they sustained this kind of excellence for the better part of two decades?
For more than half of his time at the helm, 26th-year head coach Tom Turco, a special education teacher at the high school, has relied heavily on a book, “The Winner Within: A life plan for team players,” by NBA championship-winning coach Pat Riley.
Every one of Turco's players receives a copy. By now, this senior class has read it four times and have several of its verses memorized.
The 271-page book published in 1993 has 12 chapters and the players discuss each throughout the season in sit-down classroom sessions. Turco makes his players email him a paragraph on how each chapter relates to them.
“It allows us for 12 times (a season) to be in a room together and discuss things,” said Turco. “The seniors have a chapter and space it out throughout the entire season, so when you talk about things like, 'Sacrifice is the most difficult thing to do as a team player,' what does that mean?
“I add my experiences,” said Turco, “but I want to hear what they've got to say because when they talk, they're talking to each other.”
“We read it every year,” said senior co-captain Holly Wilson. “We go back to our core and our goals and what we want to accomplish together as a team. We know we have to stay together.”
“Usually each chapter fits well with the season as it progresses,” added Martin. “The beginning of the season, one of the first chapters is the core covenant about the basis of the team and what we need to make the team itself.”
The psychological lessons from Turco and from the book have translated to the court.
“I think he taught a lot of us that the game is fundamentals,” said senior co-captain Colleen Kenney. “That's where you get your basis, but if we're stuck in a really hard position down a couple points, it comes down to fundamentals and the other half is having confidence you can do it.”
Martin and Wilson have known Turco since they were in third grade when they attended his week-long summer youth volleyball camp at the recreation center. His current players help out with the camps each summer.
“We looked up to the older girls and we were like, wow, we want to be like that when we get older,” Wilson recalled. “They were our role models. We used to go to all their games and watch them. We'd say, 'We want to be on that court some day. I want to be on a state championship team.' I've just been keeping it up ever since hoping to keep going with it.”
When Turco notched his 550th career victory with the team early this season he treated it as just another win for the Raiders.
“I'll think about it when I retire. That's not one of their team goals,” said Turco of his career victories. “The coaching staff (Marylou Martin and Jessi Goode) is pretty engrossed in what (the team) wants to achieve.”
“It's something I'll think about later on in life,” said Martin of being part of the Barnstable Red Raider volleyball dynasty. “Right now, it actually doesn't hit me. (Coach Turco) doesn't really focus on that because he doesn't care about the wins he had in the past. I think he just focuses on playing the next game.”
The Barnstable Patriot, November 15, 2013
Barnstable Heading to States
by Kathleen Szmit
Kathleen Szmit Photos
CELEBRATION – Barnstable volleyball players Hannah Andres (27), Stephanie Martin (17), Holly Wilson (30), Olivia Brodt (3) Madison Sollows (2) and Ciara Bruning (13) react after winning the Div. 1 South Sectional Championship for the 19th time Nov. 9., their fourth consecutive title against New Bedford.
Raiders win 19th South Sectional Championship
The Barnstable Red Raiders girls varsity volleyball team continued its domination of opponents this week by winning its 19th Div. 1 South Sectional crown and defeating Andover in the State semifinals to earn a 16th trip to the State Championships.
Under the watchful eyes of longtime head coach Tom Turco, the Red Raiders set about dispatching New Bedford in the Div. 1 South Sectionals Nov. 9, earning a 3-0 sweep with scores of 25-19, 25-18, and 25-17.
The Whalers didn’t make it easy for the Raiders, but in spite of holding several leads throughout the evening, New Bedford was no match for Barnstable as the Red Raiders bumped the Whalers from the top spot for the fourth season in a row.
In a scrappy first game, a 6-0 Barnstable scoring run put the Raiders ahead 13-7, but even as the Whalers strived toward a renewed effort, the Raiders held tight, cruising to a 25-19 victory after New Bedford served a ball into the net, putting Barnstable in control.
Barnstable found themselves trailing 16-14 in the second as New Bedford rallied, but senior Holly Wilson worked the Raiders out of a jam as she set them on a 9-0 scoring run en route to the Game 2 win.
Barnstable held the lead throughout Game 3, holding leads of 8-3 and 20-12 before the Whalers battled back to narrow the score to 21-17, but Barnstable held on to remain undefeated and claim the sectional title.
The win set up a semifinal battle against off-Cape rival Andover, whom Barnstable bounced from the tourney with a 3-0 sweep and match scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 25-16 to advance to the State Finals for the 16th time.
Barnstable was solid in Game 1 against Andover, holding fast to the lead after dropping the game’s first point, with Wilson giving Barnstable a 13-6 lead during her time at the service line.
Game two proved more of a challenge, with Barnstable finding itself in a 5-0 hole early on before evening the score at 11, ultimately playing to the 25-21 win.
The final game again saw Barnstable trailing, but Colleen Kenney proved instrumental in lifting the Red Raiders to a 12-7 lead en route to the final 25-16 victory.
Against New Bedford, Hannah Andres led with 12 kills, while Ciara Bruning had 10, Kenney seven and Madison Sollows five.
Olivia Brodt had five service aces, Wilson three and Andres and Kenney one apiece, while Stephanie Martin had 11 digs and Andres 10. Brodt had 30 assists.
Against Andover in the state semifinals, Andres had 10 kills, Bruning seven, Sollows four and Liz Gorrill and Colleen Kenney three each.
Kenney also had four service aces, Wilson two and Marin and Brodt each with one, while Martin had 19 digs, Nicole Derosier 14, Andres 12, Brodt eight, Bruning four, Wilson three and Gorrill and Kenney one each.
Andres recorded 30 assists, while Martin added 12 and Gorrill three.
The Raiders will travel to Algonquin Regional High to play Newton North in the State Finals Nov. 16 at 6 p.m., a team they handily defeated earlier this season with scores of 25-7, 25-12, and 25-12.
THE BOSTON GLOBE, November 14, 2013
Barnstable girls volleyball tops Andover
By Stephen Sellner
Olivia Brodt (3) had a good time with her teammates as three-time defending state champion Barnstable returned to the title game.
Photo by Barry Chin, Boston Globe
BRIDGEWATER — For just a few minutes in the Division 1 state semifinals Wednesday, Barnstable’s road to a fourth straight state volleyball title looked like it hit a speed bump.
After the Red Raiders cruised in the first set, Andover took the first 5 points of the second and built a 7-2 advantage, creating a wave of momentum to the Golden Warriors’ side.
But senior Hannah Andres and her teammates had been in this situation too many times to panic, and that didn’t change this time. Top-seeded Barnstable fought back to take the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-0, to advance to the state final.
“We knew we had to pick it up, but nobody was panicking,” Andres said of the second set. “We just had to clean it up a little.”
Coach Tom Turco said the Raiders’ ability to bounce back is a testament to their experience.
“They’re never flustered, they’re never frustrated,” Turco said. “And that’s what you need.”
Andres led the way with 10 kills and 12 digs, while senior Stephanie Martin had 19 digs and junior Nicole Derosier added 14 digs.
The Red Raiders controlled the first set, 25-16, but were forced to make an adjustment. Barnstable had trouble hitting along the lines because the Andover defense had no trouble digging along the perimeter.
So, Andres and the Red Raiders kept the Golden Warriors honest with shorter kills, dropping the ball just over the net, to draw the defense forward to help open the lines.
“We kept hitting line, it’s like digging in a digging line. That’s easy,” Turco said. “So in order to change that, we had to drop the ball in front of the attack line and hope they would change their defense a little bit.”
The adjustment worked, as Barnstable took the second set.
Andover led the third set, 7-4, but the Red Raiders reeled off 8 straight points to take back control to win the final set, 25-16.
Andover senior Chelsea Hu had eight kills in the loss and sophomore Madelyn Reppucci chipped in with eight blocks and six kills.
Even after winning three state titles before, Andres said the drive for the fourth has the same emotions.
“After being around a team that wins so much, you kind of every year just want more,” she said. “Everyone wants it and it’s a great experience.”
CAPE COD TIMES, November 14, 2013
Barnstable Volleyball Rolls into State Final
Barnstable's Holly Wilson, Madison Sollows (2) and Olivia Brodt (3) race for their teammate Stephanie Martin (17) after the Red Raiders defeated Andover in three games in the MIAA Div. 1 state semifinal volleyball match at Bridgewater-Raynham High School on Wednesday night.
Photo by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb |
Stephanie Martin (17) celebrates with her Barnstable teammates after beating Andover 3-0 in the MIAA Div. 1 State semifinal volleyball match at Bridgewater-Raynham high school.
Photo by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb |
Photos by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb
Available at CapeCodOnline
BRIDGEWATER — Due to a severe traffic jam, Andover spent two and a half hours getting to the gym which led to a 45 minute delay to the start of last night's volleyball match. But all it did was prolong the inevitable, and for a team that was bidding for its fourth straight spot in the state championship game, it was well worth the wait.
The Red Raiders swept their fourth straight postseason opponent Thursday night, defeating Andover 3-0 in the Division 1 state semifinals at Bridgewater-Raynham. Barnstable improves to 22-0 with the 25-16, 25-21, 25-16 victory and will face Newton North for the state championship Saturday at 6 p.m. at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough. North sectional winner Andover finishes at 23-2.
The Red Raiders topped Newton North 3-0 in Hyannis during the regular season, winning 25-7, 25-12, 25-12. Saturday will also be a rematch of last year's state final in which Barnstable captured its third crown in a row with a 3-1 triumph.
As was the case in the South final, game two proved to be the pivotal game as the Red Raiders closed with a 5-1 run after the Golden Warriors fought back from an 18-14 deficit to twice even the match. And like Barnstable's previous four tourney victories, its defense played a pivotal role.
Senior Stephanie Martin had 19 digs, many of the diving or reflex-like saves, to pace the Red Raiders. Junior Nicole Derosier recorded 14 digs for Barnstable while senior Hannah Andres had 12 and Olivia Brodt notched eight. Andres led the offensive attack with 10 kills while fellow senior Liz Gorrill had seven and Madison Sollows four. Brodt had 27 assists while Sollows also added four blocks and Andres 21/2.
The Red Raiders trailed 5-0 and 7-2 at the outset of the middle game before pulling even at 11. Though Andover would force two more deadlocks, Barnstable never trailed again. "They're never flustered and never frustrated — they've been through this a lot and know how to make adjustments," said Red Raiders coach Tom Turco of his battle-tested squad. "We needed to execute a few things that we saw in their defense. I'm proud of the way they kept their composure, especially in game two."
As for the beginning, Barnstable never trailed in the first game after losing the first point. Two early kills by Andres and four straight points on Holly Wilson's serve gave the Red Raiders a 13-6 lead. So much for the delay.
"We found out a couple things late and didn't get a chance to work on them," said the Hall of Fame coach, taking advantage of any teaching moment there is. "We spent 15 minutes working on them so that was the best delay ever."
Barnstable built a 21-11 lead and coasted home to win the opener behind Colleen Kenney's two kills and a tip.
Blocks by Andres and Sollows helped the Red Raiders recover from the early deficit in the second game and a tip by Sollows gave them their first lead at 11-10. With Martin digging out nearly everything hit at her from the backline, Barnstable began finding the gaps in the Golden Warriors defense with tips and a change of pace to its kills off of Brodt's setting.
"They (Andover) were sinking so far back that they're almost daring us to do it," said Turco. "Our floor defense was outstanding. Stephanie made some unbelievable saves."
Sollows had two more blocks at the net and Bruning sealed game two with a kill to give the Red Raiders the commanding 2-0 lead. Seven straight service winners by Kenney helped turn an early 7-4 deficit in the final game into a 12-7 lead. Andover would close to within 18-14 but with the Red Raiders either blocking or digging out everything they could muster, the Golden Warriors committed five unforced errors down the stretch.
"They've worked really hard and I'm proud of them for putting themselves in the position they want to be in," said Turco of his club.
CAPE COD TIMES, November 13, 2013
Barnstable girls volleyball: Tough get going
Barnstable's run for a mind-boggling 16th state Division 1 volleyball title, its 10th in the last 11 years and fourth in a row, settles down at Bridgewater-Raynham High School tonight in the state semifinal.
The South champion Red Raiders (21-0) battle North champion Andover (23-1) of the Merrimack Valley Large at 6 p.m.
Andover's tourney run has gone through Lynn English, Lexington, North Andover and Haverhill. Barnstable's trip through the South includes wins over Walpole, Bishop Feehan and New Bedford.
Tom Turco's squad is a true team.
Senior outside hitters Hannah Andres (249 kills) and Ciara Bruning (237 kills) lead up front. Senior Stephanie Martin (322) leads the team in digs, while Martin, junior Nicole Derosier, junior Olivia Brodt, senior Holly Wilson and Andres are all top servers.
Brodt also had 717 assists. Andover is powered by six-foot middle hitter Rachel Schnakenberg (198 kills) and senior outside hitter Chelsea Hu (187 kills). Junior Azita Bakhtyari led the Golden Warriors with 568 assists.
CAPE COD TIMES, November 10, 2013
MIAA VOLLEYBALL, DIV. 1 SOUTH SECTIONAL FINAL
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
Barnstable volleyball clinched its fourth straight Div. 1 South Sectional title on Saturday.
Left to right with their trophy, Julia Corbett, Ciara Bruning, Stephanie Martin and Holly Wilson.
MIKE VALERI/STANDARD-TIMES
November 10, 2013
PEMBROKE — The similarities heading into Saturday evening's MIAA Division 1 South sectional girls volleyball final were striking.
A matchup of the sectional's top two seeds, each undefeated at 20-0 and having convincingly advanced with victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals. And as they took the court, both were wearing their customary red jerseys with white lettering. But when the ball went in the air, that's where their likenesses came to an end.
The top-seeded Red Raiders won their fourth straight Div. 1 South sectional championship and 19th overall in school history with a 3-0 win over No. 2 New Bedford at a near-capacity crowd at Pembroke High School.
Barnstable improves to 21-0 with the 25-19, 25-18, 25-17 victory and advances to the state semifinals to face Andover at Bridgewater-Raynham High School on Wednesday night. No. 3 Andover (23-1) defeated Haverhill 3-0 Saturday to claim the Div. 1 North sectional crown.
The Whalers finish the season at 20-1. Saturday marked the fourth straight season that the Red Raiders ended New Bedford's campaign. The Whalers were the last team to defeat the 15-time state champions, knocking off Barnstable in the 2009 Div. 1 South semifinals.
"They always play us tough," said Barnstable coach Tom Turco. "It's important that we play a very tough non-league schedule. That helps us prepare for these games. It was a little harder than it should have been but they weathered the storm and stayed composed."
Hannah Andres had 12 kills and 10 digs for the Red Raiders while fellow senior Ciara Bruning had 10 kills and six digs. Senior Stephanie Martin had 11 digs for Barnstable while Olivia Brodt had 30 assists and five aces. Colleen Kenney had seven kills and two blocks for the Red Raiders while fellow senior Holly Wilson won 16 points on her serve, including three aces.
It was Wilson who was serving during the match's pivotal moment. Trailing 16-14 in the second game, the Red Raiders took a timeout. After an Andres kill, Wilson took the service line. By the time she left, Barnstable was in command and the Whalers were looking like a demoralized team which had met its fate at the hands of yet another Red Raider club.
"I had to emphasize the point that you can't play not to lose — you have to play to win," said Turco. "You have to go out and earn every single point. They're not going to give you any points. This is the South sectional final and you need to step it up. That's all I said." Message received.
Andres had four kills from the left side of the net while Madison Sollows (five kills) slammed two home from the middle as Barnstable went on a 9-0 spurt. Wilson also had an ace during the run. New Bedford stemmed the tide, but Bruning finished off game two with a kill of her own.
"Barnstable's obviously a better team than we are, all the way around," said New Bedford coach Neil Macedo. "Serve and serves received killed us. We had to play perfect and we pretty much did for the first half of every game. They just have a lot of weapons."
Barnstable went on a 6-0 run to open a 13-7 lead in the opening game, the last five with Wilson serving. The Whalers cut the lead to 15-13 and 21-17 on kills by Alyssa Kellick (11 kills) but at 23-19, served one into the net and that sent a ball long to decide game one.
"We changed our defense around from a traditional defense to a rotational defense," Turco said of his neutralization of Kellick. "That had Stephanie down the line and put more diggers into the mix."
The Red Raiders never trailed in the third game, using an early 8-2 run to take a 10-4 lead. Kenney dominated a stretch just past the midway point, nailing three kills and a block to spark Barnstable to a 20-12 advantage. New Bedford closed to within 21-17 but a tip and service winner by Andres, kill from Bruning and Sollows spike off a Wilson dig had the Red Raiders hosting the hardware again.
www.boston.com
Barnstable remains undefeated
Upon looking at Barnstable's volleyball banner, the one celebrating 15 state titles ago, there is one important date year missing: 2009. That was the year New Bedford, the last team to defeat Barnstable in the postseason, captured the state championship. Barnstable made sure that didn't happen again Saturday in a battle of unbeatens in Pembroke as the Red Raiders swept previously undefeated New Bedford for the program's 19th Division 1 South sectional. Barnstable (21-0) won, 25-19, 25-18. 25-17. "I got to give my kids credit. It was a little bit harder than it should have been, but they weathered the storm and even though they're making unforced errors they picked it up and stay composed," said Red Raiders coach Tom Turco. Since the loss in 2009, the Red Raiders have gone 87-3 and remain undefeated at 21-0. The Red Raiders' last undefeated season was in 2011.( 11/10/2013 12:00 AM )
CAPE COD TIMES, November 9, 2013
MIAA volleyball: South title in Raiders' sight
The teams won't need an introduction. They know each other all to well.
Barnstable and New Bedford meet tonight at Pembroke High School for the Division 1 South sectional championship. The first serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Fittingly, Barnstable (20-0) and New Bedford (20-0) are the top two seeds in the South.
The top-seeded Red Raiders are looking for their fourth straight South title after two 3-0 wins over Walpole and Bishop Feehan in the quarterfinals and semifinals. The No. 2 Whalers defeated North Attleboro and Mansfield on the way to the sectional final, both in four games.
There is plenty of history between the two schools, dating to 2009, the last year Barnstable failed to win the state title.
That year, New Bedford defeated the Red Raiders 3-0 in the Division 1 South semifinals on the way to a state crown of its own. Barnstable has eliminated the Whalers in each of the past three seasons, winning 3-0 in the South final a year ago.
Senior Hannah Andres had 18 digs and 13 kills for the Red Raiders in Thursday's South semifinal win, while Ciara Bruning had a team-high 15 kills. Senior Stephanie Martin had 17 digs for Barnstable while junior setter Olivia Brodt had 37 assists.
The Red Raiders and Whalers played Dartmouth and Dennis-Yarmouth twice on the season. Barnstable swept each twice while New Bedford had 3-0 and 3-1 victories.
CAPE COD TIMES, November 8, 2013
Barnstable 3, Bishop Feehan 0
Barnstable's Olivia Brodt (3), Stefanie Martin, center, and Megan Dombrowski (33) celebrate after beating Bishop Feehan 3-0 in the South Sectional Semi final on Thursday.
Photo by Cape Cod Times/Ron Schloerb
Additional photos available for viewing @ www.capecodonline.com
Holly Wilson of Barnstable digs out an attempted kill in the Red Raiders playoff match against Bishop Feehan on Thursday night at Barnstable High School in Hyannis.
Photo by Cape Cod Times/Ron Schloerb
Additional photos available for viewing @ www.capecodonline.com
HYANNIS — The kills and spikes may make the highlight reels and get the clippings, but like any sport, it's the defense that usually wins championships.
After another stellar defensive effort, the Barnstable girls volleyball team is one win from another Division 1 South sectional title.
Hannah Andres had 18 digs while fellow senior Stephanie Martin added 17 as the top-seeded Red Raiders defeated No. 4 Bishop Feehan 3-0 in the
Division 1 South sectional semifinals Thursday night at Barnstable High School.
Barnstable improves to 20-0 with the 25-13, 25-18, 25-18 victory and will face unbeaten New Bedford at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Pembroke High School.
The No. 2 Whalers also improved to 20-0 on Thursday, defeating Mansfield 3-1 in the other South semifinal.
The three-time defending state champion Red Raiders have not lost a postseason contest since a 3-0 loss to New Bedford in the 2009 Division 1 South semifinals.
Feeding off the enthusiam of a large home crowd, the Barnstable girls were all over the floor to keep points alive,
but that's not to say there weren't plenty of offensive highlights as well.
Senior Ciara Bruning led the Red Raiders with 15 kills while Andres had 13 and sophomore Madison Sollows added seven.
Junior setter Olivia Brodt had 37 assists and Holly Wilson had eight digs and served out games two and three.
Each game started innocently enough with several early lead changes, but runs of 13-1, 9-2 and 8-1 midway through each game gave Barnstable commanding leads.
"They aced us on the first two balls and after that we passed serve really well," said Barnstable coach Tom Turco.
"We were aggressive and on the attack the entire night and that's how we need to be."
Bishop Feehan (16-4) led 6-4 in the opening game but with Andres winning serve on the final six points of the run the Red Raiders opened up a 17-7 lead and cruised to the Game 1 win.
The Shamrocks led 9-7 in the second game, but with digs from Martin, Andres and Wilson keeping points alive and Sollows taking control at the middle of the net with her blocks and kills,
Barnstable forged an 18-12 lead. Feehan cut the lead to 18-16, but the Red Raiders closed out the game on a well-placed tip by Brodt off a dig by Martin and a Sollows' block to clinch it.
"Momentum's huge in volleyball — it's important to capitalize on momentum and win long rallies," Turco said. "It always starts with defense and when the defense can turn it into a quick offensive point that helps us."
The Shamrocks cut a 20-10 deficit to 22-18 in the final game but a dig by Nicole Derosier turned what looked like a lost point into an Andres kill.
Moments later, Wilson served out the final two points to end it.
"Their kids are very disciplined and they don't get flustered," said Feehan coach Joe Reardon.
"We made our runs and it didn't bother them, then they make their runs and they're just hard to stop."
The next stop for the Red Raiders is the South final, but if the they continue to play at this level, it may just be another step on the way to another state title.
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT, November 8, 2013
Barnstable Bests Walpole
By Kathleen Szmit
www.barnstablepatriot.com
Raiders rout Rebels in MIAA tourney
SLAMMER – Red Raider Ciara Bruning (13) slams the ball back across the net at her Walpole foes during MIAA tournament play Nov. 4.
Photo by The Barnstable Patriot, Kathleen Szmit
Experience, skill and will. Those are the qualities Barnstable girls volleyball head coach Tom Turco feels brought his team through another undefeated regular season and to a 3-0 MIAA Div. 1 South quarterfinal victory against Walpole this week.
Competing on their home court at Barnstable High School, the No. 1 Red Raiders waged a fierce battle against the No. 8 Rebels to game scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-16.
Leading the way were the team’s seniors. Ciara Bruning had 15 kills, Hannah Andres 13 and Colleen Kenney nine in the win, while Andres and Stephanie Martin each posted 12 digs, and Holly Wilson eight.
Following in the footsteps of their fearless leaders were juniors Madison Sollows with six kills, Nicole Desrosier with five digs, and Olivia Brodt with six digs and an impressive 43 assists.
Leading 8-6 Barnstable went on a scoring run in the first game en route to the 25-13 final score. The Rebels held a few fleeting leads in Game 2 and a 12-8 lead in the final game, but the stalwart Raiders wouldn’t be stopped, peeling off 11 points to Walpole’s one to claim the win.
“We have gotten this far by virtue of experience, skill and will,” Turco said in an email interview. “With seven seniors we had the experience of playing in big matches. This, along with the skill development in all phases of the game has been a process and they are continuing to improve. They had a really tough non-league schedule and embraced the challenge.”
Turco said what stands out most for him regarding his 2013 team is their chemistry. He added that the seniors have risen well to their roles as leaders.
“The seniors have been a tremendous source of positive energy,” Turco said. “They continually want to improve and they help each other out prior to and during practice. They are bearers of the team goals and have proven to be excellent role models on and off the court.”
At press time Barnstable was slated to play No. 4 seed Bishop Feehan at home for a chance to compete in the South Sectional Championship slated for 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at Pembroke.
CAPE COD TIMES, November 5, 2013
Barnstable 3, Walpole 0
Hannah Andres, left, and Ciara Bruning combined for 28 kills in Barnstable’s 3-0 volleyball tournament win over Walpole on Monday.
Cape Cod Times/Christine Hochkep
HYANNIS — Barnstable High girls volleyball coach Tom Turco says his team knows what is at stake come the postseason and he doesn't have to say anything different when his club takes the court come tournament time.
So it shouldn't be any surprise that Monday night's outcome was any different than the previous 18 during the regular season.
The top-seeded Red Raiders began their state title defense with a 3-0 sweep over No. 8 Walpole, winning the Div. 1 South quarterfinal 25-13, 25-17, 25-16. Barnstable improves to 19-0 and advances to the South semifinals to host Bishop Feehan Thursday night at 6 p.m.
Hannah Andres had 13 kills and 12 digs for the Red Raiders while fellow senior Ciara Bruning had 15 kills.
Seniors Stephanie Martin and Holly Wilson had 12 kills and eight digs for Barnstable while junior Olivia Brodt was spot on with her setting with 43 assists. Madison Sollows added six kills for the Red Raiders while Nicole Derosier and Brodt each had a pair of aces.
"We had a lot of hitting errors and that's the biggest concern I had," Turco said. "The energy was there and we expected a good match by them and they played well. Once we got on track, we played much better."
Barnstable used a 9-2 run to pull away from an 8-6 advantage to win the first game comfortably. The Rebels (13-7) had brief lead in the middle game at 8-7 and led 12-8 in the third game before the Red Raiders ripped off an 11-1 spurt to end any doubt of a sweep.
"They weren't intimidated at all and I'm so proud of them for that," said Walpole coach Lisa Cyr of her squad. "They (Barnstable) had to adjust from hitting to tipping because they knew we were digging them. It caught us off on a bunch of plays but the fact that we had to make them do that makes me really pleased."
Walpole had plenty of size and heart on this night, but the Red Raiders not only had the answer, but an equally impressive counterattack.
"We turned defense into offense pretty fast and that's what we need to do to be successful in the tournament," Turco said. "It's a five-step process if we want to get to where we want to get to. That's step one."
Four more steps would get the Red Raiders to their fourth straight state title.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 31, 2013
Barnstable 3, North Quincy 0
It was a perfect day for Barnstable head coach Tom Turco as his daughter gave the family its first grandchild and the local volleyball squad finished the season undefeated with a shutout win in North Quincy.
In the battle of Red Raiders, Barnstable (18-0) swept the match with games of 25-14, 25-15 and 25-12. Assistant coach Mary Lou Martin handled the team in Turco's absence and made her career record 1-0.
Hannah Andres had a big game with 10 kills and 12 digs.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 30, 2013
Barnstable 3, Medfield 0
Seniors came out strong on Senior Night, leading the Red Raiders over the Warriors 25-23, 25-21, 25-12 in Hyannis.
Barnstable improved to 17-0 with the win and close out the season at North Quincy today. Medfield drops to 16-4.
Senior Hannah Andres led the offense with 14 kills while also scooping up 15 digs. Classmate Ciara Bruning had 13 kills while Colleen Kenney, also a senior, had nine kills.
Senior Stephanie Martin had a game-high 23 digs while classmate Holly Wilson had 13 digs and four aces.
Senior Julia Corbett had a four point service run, including two aces, in the third game while classmate Liz Gorrill had the match ending kill.
Junior Nicole Derosier added four kills for the Red Raiders while sophomore Madison Sollows had five kills and junior Olivia Brodt had 43 assists.
BOSTON GLOBE, October 27, 2013
For Barnstable volleyball, 16th title would be sweet
By Elizabeth Torres / Globe Correspondent / October 27, 2013
In this archive photo, Barnstable volleyball coach Tom Turco, left, talks with his players during a game against Bishop Feehan in 1996. (Globe photo)
After 26 years coaching the Barnstable girls’ volleyball squad, coach Tom Turco has learned to ask the right questions.
“I’m curious, what drives you as a team?” he asks his girls at the beginning of the season.
And after 10 minutes of conversation, this year’s group came up with a goal that has been carrying the top-ranked Red Raiders to the tournament year after year — win a state championship. If accomplished, it would be Barnstable’s 16th title.
“Our goals drive us,” his girls answer and for Turco, this has been key in building the Barnstable dynasty.
“If everyone did that the journey, it would be easier. It happens to work for us but how can you go wrong when you spend 15 hours a season talking about teamwork,” said Turco.
“The proof is in the pudding,” he said.
And that’s how it starts, that, combined with one of the toughest schedules around.
“When the players make their own goals, it’s basically our job, the coach’s job, to try and get them to their goals. First and foremost, it’s what they want,” said Turco.
“It gives you an avenue of communication and an opportunity to talk and listen to players,” he said.
This mantra has equated to great success during Turco’s 564-53 run at Barnstable and this year is no different with an unbeaten 16-0 squad that comes after graduating a large chunk of the Red Raiders offense.
“Our team is working well together and we have the mind set we can do anything, even without the seniors we graduated. We can make up for that,” said Red Raiders senior captain Stephanie Martin.
“Kayla Crook had set three state championships. It’s a big concern because before you can hit, you need setting,” said Turco.
Junior Olivia Brodt trained by Crook’s side and her dedication paid off. Brodt is the leading setter in the state as a junior with 10.5 assists per game.
“She came in in really great physical condition and great motivation. She’s the first step in helping our offense,” said Turco.
After graduating 80 percent of his kill production, his hitters were the next step.
Seniors Hannah Andres, Ciara Bruning, and Colleen Kenney took care of that. Andres (184 kills), Bruning (166), and Kenney (123) have loaded the Red Raiders stat book and have “gotten the job done thus far,” said Turco.
This trio may not have height to their advantage, “I can actually see over the huddle this year,” Turco joked, “but they’re very athletic and quick. We’re hitting from the outside now and have a more diverse offense,” he said.
With the setting and offense in check and the drive to win, the Red Raiders have the traits of a winning team, not to mention their defense was already one of the best in the state.
Martin, a four-year starter, leads the team with 250 digs, only 20 of those errors. She shares receiving the serve duties with Andres, totaling 507 of the team’s 652 receptions.
“When you pass the ball in system, it’s a huge difference. If you can control the serve, you can control the game,” said Turco. Andres and Martin are also joined by junior Nicole Derosier (91 digs).
“There’s chemistry in the back row because the defense sees everything,” said Martin.
“Then you get the players like Holly Wilson who come in and get huge production from the service line,” said Turco.
Rightside hitter Liz Gorrill comes up with key plays like the double block that was the second to last point in the big 3-1 win over second-ranked Notre Dame of Hingham on Wednesday.
“She’s a good blocker and got the job done in a crucial time,” said Turco. She is accompanied by sophomore Madison Sollows (35 blocks).
The Notre Dame (Hingham) matchup was the start of a challenging end to the season, with No. 3 Medfield and 12th-ranked North Quincy matches remaining.
“It’s part of the package. We know that our players anticipate this when they get together they set standards and goals high,” said Turco.
“Anybody that wants to play, we’ll play,” he said.
Martin has spent the past four years learning from coach Turco and to her, “he’s a good mentor he knows how to work around other teams and what to expect. He knows what he’s doing and he’s good at it,” she said.
When asked about a possible 16th state championship, Turco said, “If we’re good enough, ask me then.”
As for Martin and her fourth straight appearance in the state tournament, “I think to myself, I’m not going in thinking we’re going to win but that we work hard for what we deserve.”
BOSTON GLOBE, October 24, 2013
Barnstable Girls' Volleyball Stays Perfect
By Liz Torres, Globe Staff
HINGHAM — To beat an explosive program like Notre Dame of Hingham, Barnstable coach Tom Turco says “you’ve got to swing away.”
And it took everything the top-ranked Red Raiders had. The squad slipped past the host and No. 2 Cougars in the fourth set, 27-25, despite Globe All-Scholastic Julia Flynn’s cannon of an arm Wednesday at a Dig Pink volleyball fundraiser for breast cancer.
“They couldn’t wait to come up here in a small, loud gym with an awesome team, they talked about it all week,” said Turco.
The final set was a point-for-point rally until a timeout late in the match gave the Red Raiders their footing. A hit by senior Ciara Bruning and a series of Cougars errors gave Barnstable the 3-1 win (25-15, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25).
“The thing is we couldn’t be passive. We knew coming in it was going to be a tough match. These kids live for this, this is just a part of who they are,” said Turco.
The Cougars kept it close throughout with Flynn’s jaw-dropping performance at the net.
The loss moves the Cougars to 14-2 after a 3-2 loss to Barnstable on Sept. 24.
The Red Raiders, 15 times the state champion, are unbeaten at 16-0.
Turco’s biggest concern at the beginning of this season was his offense but Bruning (10 kills), Colleen Kenney (seven kills), and Hannah Andres (13 kills) were able to keep the Red Raiders on top despite a second-set loss.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 24, 2013
Barnstable Remains Perfect
HINGHAM — In a battle of the top two ranked girls volleyball teams in the state, Hingham took the Red Raiders to four close games, but Barnstable came out on top 3-1 on Wednesday, keeping their perfect season intact.
Playing in front of a full gymnasium, Barnstable won 25-15, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25.
In the fourth game with the score 25-25, Colleen Kenney and Liz Gorrill combined for a block against Notre Dame's top hitter, giving the Red Raiders a 26-25 advantage. Barnstable (16-0) won on the next volley.
Hannah Andres led the way with 15 kills and 18 digs. Ciara Bruning added 11 kills and Kenney had seven kills and seven digs.
Stephanie Martin led the defense with 23 digs, Olivia Brodt dished out 36 assists and Holly Wilson had 13 digs, nine service points and three aces.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 19, 2013
Raiders Volleyball Meets Challenge
HYANNIS — In a battle of defending state volleyball champions, Barnstable held up against Westboro 29-27, 27-25, 27-29, 25-18 on Friday.
The Rangers (14-2) made the Red Raiders (15-0) fight for every point, but in the fourth game Barnstable's hard work became evident.
"I thought our conditioning kicked in a little bit," Red Raiders' coach Tom Turco said.
Barnstable, the defending Division 1 State Champions, wore down Westboro, the defending Division 2 Champion, using strong performances all over the floor.
Hannah Andres had 17 kills and 18 digs while Ciara Bruning had 22 kills, Colleen Kenney had eight kills, 14 service points and six digs and Madison Sollows had three kills and three blocks, including the game winner in Game 4. Liz Gorrill and Emma Glover were also key at the net for the Red Raiders.
Stephanie Martin led the Barnstable defense with 28 digs while Nicole Derosier had 10 digs and Holly Wilson had eight digs.
Setter Olivia Brodt spread the offense around with 46 assists.
"It was a great high school match," Turco said.
The Red Raiders head to Notre Dame Hingham on Wednesday. The Cougars are the only other team to beat Westboro this season.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 17, 2013
Barnstable 3, Dartmouth 0: The Red Raiders continued with its dominating season with another sweep of an opponent, this time Dartmouth.
Barnstable won by scores of 25-15, 25-18 and 25-14.
Leading the way for Barnstable was Hannah Andres with 14 kills and 11 digs and Ciara Bruning had 12 kills and two blocks. Colleen Kenney added eight kills and four blocks, Olivia Brodt had 35 assists, Stephanie Martin 10 digs and 12 service points, Holly Wilson six digs and five service points and Emma Glover chipped in with four digs.
No. 1 Barnstable (14-0) will play No. 4 Westborough at home on Friday.
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT, October 18, 2013
THE WINNERS
In a daylong volleyball conference featuring 24 teams that have won or competed in state chamionships, the Barnstable girls varsity volleyball team prevailed, earning the Hall of Fame tournament title after defeating Coventry, RI, in a one-game match 25-15. The tourney included top teams from across New England.
This week the Red Raiders defeated Dartmouth 3-0 to remain undefeated at 14-0.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 15, 2013
Raiders Roll in Four-State Tourney
SPRINGFIELD — In a full day of volleyball in Springfield featuring a field of 24 teams that have either captured state titles or competed in one, the Barnstable cruised to a perfect record capturing the title in a one-game over Coventry (R.I.), 25-15.
Teams from four New England states — Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts — participated in the tournament that started with two rounds of pool play followed by the semifinals and eventually, the finals.
Barnstable rolled through each pool with a 6-0 record by winning all three of its matches with two wins.
In the first round of pool play, the Raiders defeated Mount St. Charles (R.I.), East Lyme (Conn.) and Frontier Regional of South Deerfield.
In the second series of pool play, the Raiders bested Bristol Eastern (Conn.), Bishop Feehan and Hopkinton.
Those wins advanced Barnstable to the semifinals where it bested Newton North, 25-14. Barnstable beat Newton North early last week in a rematch of the 2012 Div. 1 state title.
The Raiders won the tournament with the 25-15 win over Coventry.
"Everyone contributed," praised Red Raider coach Tom Turco. "It was a great effort on a long day."
Barnstable is back in action Wednesday at Dartmouth.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 11, 2013
Barnstable Wins Rematch
In a rematch of the 2012 Division 1 state championship, Barnstable volleyball dominated Newton North, 3-0, on Thursday.
Barnstable (13-0), which topped Newton North 3-1 last year in the final, won easily on Thursday by scores of 25-7, 25-12, 25-12.
Olivia Brodt had 32 assists, 12 service winners and 10 digs while Stephanie Martin had a season-high 25 assists.
Hannah Andres recorded 14 kills and eight digs for the Raiders.
Cara Bruning had 11 kills and Colleen Kenney added 10 for Barnstable, while Nicole Derosier had 17 service points and seven digs. Holly Wilson won 10 points on serve and had seven digs for the Red Raiders while Madison Sollows had three kills and two blocks.
Barnstable travels to Springfield College on Monday to compete in the Volley Hall Tournament which features state champion schools from Massachusetts as well as Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire
CAPE COD TIMES, October 10, 2013
Barnstable 3, Bridgewater Raynham 0
A strong Red Raiders defense allowed only 33 points to the Trojans and rolled to an Old Colony League victory in Hyannis.
Barnstable won by scores of 25-7, 25-12 and 25-14.
Stephanie Martin led with 12 digs and Hannah Andres added eight for Barnstable (12-0, 3-0 OCL).
Colleen Kenney paced the offense with 12 kills, Ciara Bruning had seven kills and Liz Gorrill and Megan Dombrowski each had four kills.
Olivia Brodt added 22 assists and added 12 service points. Nicole Derosier and Holly Wilson combine for 27 service points.
Barnstable will play host to Newton North today in a rematch of last years state championship.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 8, 2013
Barnstable Nets Victory over D-Y
Barnstable fought off a strong defensive performance from Dennis-Yarmouth to remain undefeated with a three-game sweep.
D-Y (6-6, 5-2 ACL) started out strong and led the reigning Division 1 state champions at a few junctures before falling 25-18 in the opening game. Barnstable (11-0) then turned it on taking Game 2, 25-16 and the final game of the match, 25-4.
Hannah Andres had 10 kills, 14 service points and nine digs for the Red Raiders while Colleen Kenney had seven kills and 12 service points. Ciara Bruning added seven kills for Barnstable while Madison Sollows added four.
Nicole Derosier won 16 service points for the Red Raiders while Holly Wilson had five digs and seven service points (two aces).
Olivia Brodt had 28 assists for Barnstable while Stephanie Martin had 18 service receptions
Despite the shutout loss, there were solid efforts from several Dolphin players including Grace Stafford, who had five aces, seven digs, five kills and three blocks. Other strong performances were logged by Katie Donohue (12 digs, 21 service receptions), Breann McGee (five kills, three blocks and seven digs) and Jessica Ball (an ace and 10 digs).
CAPE COD TIMES, October 3, 2013
Barnstable 3, Falmouth 0
Pictures from CapeCodOnline
View CapeCodOnline Photos from Barnstable/Falmouth match.
If the Clippers were hoping to surprise the Raiders, their hopes were dashed early in a 3-0 blanking in Falmouth.
Barnstable (10-0) topped Falmouth 25-3, 25-8 and 25-18.
Hannah Andres had a solid match with seven kills and six digs. Nicole Derosier and Picabo Miskiv each recorded five aces. Also notching five kills along with a block was Megan Dombrowski. Two setters had strong games with Olivia Brodt notching 14 helpers and Ashley McCarthy adding 10.
Once settled, the Clippers played a much stronger game. Falmouth (5-5) was led by Marianna Moore with six blocks and four digs. Taylor Miller added three kills and Sara Busher had five digs.
CAPE COD TIMES, October 2, 2013
Unbeaten Barnstable Tops Medfield
Barnstable used a strong evening at the net to fend off a tough challenge from the Warriors and qualify for the postseason with the 3-0 sweep in volleyball on Tuesday.
Hannah Andres and Colleen Kenney each had 14 kills as Barnstable (9-0) prevailed 25-18, 25-21 and 25-23.
Andres had seven digs, one block and one ace while Kenney also had four blocks, including the clincher. Ciara Bruning had nine kills and three blocks for the Red Raiders while Olivia Brodt sparked the offense with 39 assists.
Stephanie Martin had 21 digs for Barnstable while Holly Wilson and Nicole Derosier combined for seven digs. Liz
Gorril added three digs for the Red Raiders.
Sophomore Madison Sollows chipped in with five blocks and three kills, including the capper in game two for
Barnstable.
The Barnstable Patriot, September 27, 2013
Barnstable Blasts Opponents
Written by Kathleen Szmit
Girls volleyball battling to another stellar season
Some of the faces may be different but the goal of the Barnstable girls varsity volleyball team is still the same: win. That’s exactly what the undefeated Red Raiders did this week when they took down Dartmouth 3-0 and outlasted Notre Dame Hingham in a fierce match that ended with a 3-2 victory.
The Raiders played host to their Old Colony League rival Indians Sept. 25, defeating their opponents 3-0 with scores of 25-9, 25-6, and 25-14.
Senior Ciara Bruning led the way with 13 kills, while teammate Colleen Kenney had 10. Hannah Andres added five, as did Madison Sollows, while Liz Gorrill had three.
Emma Glover had five service aces in the win, and Olivia Brodt posted an impressive 40 assists.
Barnstable got off to a strong start against Dartmouth, holding them to just nine and six points respectively in the first and second games before the Indians attempted a rally in the third game, peeling off seven straight points before the Red Raiders caught up and surged ahead.
Once Barnstable recovered, their opponents could do little to best them as the Raiders handily claimed the final game for the sweep.
While the Dartmouth game was another notch in the win belt, it was the previous night’s game against NDH that had fans buzzing.
In a rematch of last year’s post-season play, Barnstable battled their off-Cape foes through five games, eventually earning a 3-2 win with scores of 28-26, 29-27, 19-25, 22-25, and 15-11.
Bruning and Andres teamed up for the most kills in the outing, with Bruning recording 21 and Andres 20, while Kenney had six and four service aces. Brodt recorded 47 assists and Stephanie Martin had 36 digs. Andres added 23 digs, as well.
“The Notre Dame Academy match was a great match to win,” said head coach Tom Turco. “I was proud of how they remained focused and confident during the difficult times of the games.”
Turco said it was his team’s serving edge that made the difference.
The loss was the first for NDH this season.
Turco said his team is shaping up to be a strong defensive team, no doubt receiving a boost after coming back to defeat NDH.
“They’re very fast and athletic, and experienced in the back row,” Turco said, praising the team’s six returning seniors, Martin, Andres, Holly Wilson (a four-year varsity player), Gorrill, Bruning and Kenney, as well as Julia Corbett, who returned to the court after being sidelined by an injury last season.
In terms of leadership, Turco said the season is still early and leadership continues to evolve.
“I am encouraged with how it is progressing,” he said. “The seniors are the leaders of every season.”
In keeping with tradition, the team kicked off the year by formulating a mutual plan, something Turco said helps them bond.
“Our schedule is tougher than ever but I am confident that it will help us prepare for the tournament,” Turco said.
Barnstable is now 8-0 overall, 5-0 at home and 2-0 in the Old Colony League.
The team travels to Medfield Oct. 1, with its next home game scheduled for Oct. 9 against OCL rival Bridgewater-Raynham with a start time of 5 p.m.
Ciara Bruning and Colleen Kenney combined for 23 kills as the Red Raiders made quick work of their Old Colony League rivals in Hyannis.
Barnstable won with scores of 25-9, 25-6, 25-14.
Junior Olivia Brodt recorded a season-high 40 assists for the Red Raiders (8-0, 2-0 OCL) and Emma Glover had five aces.
Stephanie Martin led the team with 13 digs while Nicole Derosier had six digs.
Hannah Andres and Madison Sollows each posted five kills and Liz Gorrill recorded three.
After dropping its first two games of the season, Barnstable broke a 7-7 tie in the fifth and deciding
game with four straight points and seven of the next eight to close out a 3-2 victory over Notre Dame (Hingham) in
a battle of volleyball unbeatens Tuesday evening.
Barnstable prevailed 28-26, 29-27, 19-25, 22-25, 15-11 to improve to 7-0. The Cougars fall to 5-1.
Ciara Bruning registered her 21st kill to close out the match after sophomore Madison Sollows recorded three of
her eight kills during the stretch run as the Red Raiders pulled ahead, 11-7.
Stephanie Martin had a season-high 36 digs to lead another strong defensive effort by the Red Raiders while
Hannah Andres added 23 digs and three blocks to go along with her 20 kills.
"Two really good teams," said Barnstable coach Tom Turco following the victory. "I'm really proud of the way the
girls perservered after losing the third and fourth games."
The defending state champion Red Raiders defeated Notre Dame last year on the way to the title in the Div. 1
South semifinals.
Olivia Brodt had 47 assists for Barnstable while Collen Kenney had six kills and three blocks. Nicole Desrosiers
and Holly Wilson each had nine digs for the Red Raiders while Liz Gorrill had three kills.
Stephanie Martin and Colleen Kenney combined for 11 of Barnstable's 15 aces as the Red Raiders rolled over Case in a non-league matchup in Hyannis.
Barnstable won by scores of 25-9, 25-9 and 25-16.
Martin and Kenney each had 13 kills while Ciara Bruning and Hannah Andres added 12 and 11 kills respectively.
Olivia Brodt dished out 36 assists for the Red Raiders (6-0) and Holly Wilson had five digs and a pair of aces.
The Red Raiders are in action again on Tuesday against Notre Dame Academy.
The Red Raiders opened up Old Colony League play in winning fashion, defeating the Trojans in straight games: 25-7, 25-7, and 25-13 in Bridgewater.
Hannah Andres led the Barnstable offense with nine kills and two aces, while Ciara Bruning was close behind with seven kills.
Colleen Kenney, Liz Gorrill, Madison Sollows, and Megan Dombrowski each contributed four kills in the winning effort.
Stephanie Martin collected 11 digs, while Nicole DeRosia checked in with nine.
Center Olivia Brodt collected 23 assists on the game.
The Red Raiders (5-0, 1-0 Old Colony League) will host Case on Friday.
Olivia Brodt spread the offense around for Barnstable (4-0) with 28 assists while adding eight digs and a pair of aces. Stephanie Martin led the defense with 13 digs and had two aces while Nicole Derosier had nine digs and three aces and Holly Wilson had seven digs and two aces.
Hopkinton is 4-2.
Defense was the name of the game for the Red Raiders in Brockton, as Stephanie Martin spearheaded things with a season-high 16 digs.
Martin added four aces at the service line for Barnstable (3-0), which beat the Boxers 25-11, 25-9, 25-16.
Hannah Andres added 11 kills and 13 digs while Holly Wilson and Nicole Derosier had six digs each.
Colleen Kenney and Ciara Bruning keyed the offense with eight kills each while Liz Gorrill added five kills and Olivia Brodt spread out the offense with 36 points.