Varsity Girls Volleyball Results

2008 Varsity Girls Volleyball

Excerpts and Links to Media Reports:
Please note: Some older stories may not be available online.

Nov. 6, Gazette.net: Volleyball: Watkins Mill, Damascus, Poolesville advance

In a mild upset, third-seeded Watkins Mill (13-3) defeated No. 2 B-CC (12-4) 3-0 in a 3A West Region girls volleyball semifinal in Bethesda Wednesday night.

Senior Gretta Digbeu had nine individual blocks while fellow senior outside hitter Kim Van Lowe paced the Wolverines (13-3) offense with 17 kills.

"I've never seen my team so on fire," said Watkins Mill head coach Jody Tyler. "We were making plays, kids were all around the court and that gave B-CC a hard time. We took advantage of their mistakes."

Barons head coach Michelle Clise agreed.

"We had a lot of unforced errors," said Clise. "When you give them points, it's hard to overcome that. The better team won tonight and they deserved it."

Nov. 5, Gazette: Girls volleyball: Hunting for that elusive state title

After coming home without a girls volleyball state title in 2007, Montgomery County seems poised to redeem itself in '08 with a few teams that have a legitimate shot at glory in later this month at Ritchie Coliseum in College Park. ...

3A West

If senior outside hitter Maddy Carretero has fully recovered from a stress fracture in her foot, B-CC (11-3) should be in good shape to win its second consecutive 3A West Region title. The Barons received a first-round bye and faced Seneca Valley (2-13) on Monday.

Watkins Mill (11-3) also received a bye and played Urbana (5-9) on Monday. The winner will face the B-CC-Seneca victor today.

Last year's No. 1 seed, Damascus, faced off against Tuscarora in the regional quarterfinal while top-seeded Paint Branch (11-3) hosted Frederick (5-11). The winners will play today.

Oct. 28, Gazette: 3A West volleyball: Anyone's match

Defending champion B-CC starts as the favorite, but there are plenty of contenders

Poolesville is tested, but remains perfect to capture Division II

... 2005 state champion Gaithersburg developed its young talent early in the season, but the Trojans may have hit their stride with strong play from sophomore Kirby Buttry, juniors Bianca Livioco, Bridget Kulesh and senior Allison McCabe.

"I think we are starting to get real comfortable with each other," said Gaithersburg coach Michele Staymates. "It's just a matter of building our confidence back up. We don't often lose two games in a regular season. This shook us a little bit early; we are bouncing back."

The Trojans experienced a resurgence with a 3-2 win over the defending 3A West Region champion, Bethesda-Chevy Chase (12-2). The Barons' senior outside hitters, Rosie Eck and Maddy Carretero, have looked impressive this season against equal competition, but have struggled against 4A powers Magruder and Gaithersburg.

"We are doing well," said B-CC head coach Michelle Clise. "Working hard the last few games; it was good to have a challenge [against Gaithersburg]. It's a bump in the road, but we learn from it and move on."

Oct. 8, Gazette.net: Trojans conquer Barons at net

Sophomore Kirby Buttry leads Gaithersburg to 3-2 comeback victory

Oct. 2, Post: The Post Top 10

Records through Tuesday

Sept. 25, Post: The Post Top 10

Records through Tuesday

Sept. 18, Post: The Post Top 10

Records through Tuesday

Sept. 18, Gazette.net: Girls volleyball: Barons survive Bulldogs bite

Senior outside hitter Maddy Carretero leads the way for B-CC

Host team tops B-CC to win tournament for third year in a row

Magruder girls volleyball coach Scott Zanni has been down this road before.

For the past two seasons, the Colonels have claimed the top spot in the Class 4A West Region playoffs, only to suffer disappointing losses in the semifinals. Thus, Zanni is proud of his team's perfect 6-0 record at Saturday's Magruder Invitational, and its third consecutive tournament title, but knows there is a lot of work left to be done.

"It is a good start to the year," said Zanni. "But it's still Sept. 13 and there are two months in the season left. We've got a lot of seniors that have been through this before."

After defeating Urbana in the semifinals, Magruder sealed its tournament victory with a 25-15, 25-8 victory over 2006 and '07 3A state semifinalist Bethesda-Chevy Chase (5-1 at the tournament), which overcame Paint Branch to reach the finals. The Colonels did not drop a single game all day.

"To beat [B-CC] the way we did I think is a bit of a statement," said Zanni. "You don't want this to be the only thing you do all year. If this is the peak of the season then why play the rest of the year? We've got our sights set on other things as well."

The first game of the championship match started as a back-and-forth affair. With B-CC only trailing 7-6, 5-foot-8 Magruder sophomore Molly Hirrlinger hit a nice kill shot to spark a 7-0 Colonel run.

The Barons would not get any closer, as Magruder junior outside hitter Michelle Fowle contributed three kills and superb serving during the match. ...

In game two, Alison Musser shut the door on any thought of a comeback by B-CC with a block and six impressive serves to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead they would not relinquish. The Barons struggled offensively with errant passes and unforced errors.

"[Inconsistency] definitely showed at the end," said B-CC coach Michelle Clise, who is in her fifth year on the bench. "Without an offense you can't compete. When you give good teams free points it makes it difficult to win."

Senior libero Andrea Fort, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, clinched the victory for the Colonels with three aces of the last five points of the match.

Clise said she was pleased with the day's results, but wished the two teams had played at full strength.

"After 13 hours of playing volleyball, I'd like to see [the players] a little more fresh," said Clise. "I think they were tired and we were tired. I just didn't think it was our best volleyball, but it ended the right way for us."

Sept. 11, Post: THE POST TOP 10 : Volleyball

Aug. 26, Gazette: Girls volleyball: Looking for a spike in results

In 2005 and '06, Montgomery County sent an average of three teams a year to the state semifinals and came away with back-to-back state championships, when Gaithersburg and then Sherwood won Class 4A titles.

Last year, that streak ended when Broadneck defeated Wootton in the state final. Is the county poised for a comeback, or is it in for another year without a title? ...

One team that has made it through the regional playoffs the last two years is Bethesda-Chevy Chase. Yet in each season, the Barons have come up short of a berth in the state final, losing in the semis. With several returning players who have played integral roles in that run, they may be ready to make the jump to the next level.

"We have seven seniors returning this year and four of them are starters," B-CC coach Michelle Clise said. "We have a lot of experience playing together as a team and our net play should be one of our biggest strengths."

Coming back for the Barons are seniors Rosie Eck, Lee Geiser, Maddy Carratero and Nancy Makuch, all of whom were on the floor on the way to a regional title last year. Their leadership will be counted on if B-CC is to fulfill its goals.

"Our goal is to win the region for the third straight year, and get to the state championship this year and compete," Clise said.

Fast Facts

B-CC Barons

Head coach: Michelle Clise, 5th year
Last year’s record: 14-3
Last state title: None
Players to watch: Lee Geiser (Sr., S), Rosie Eck (Sr., OH), Nancy Makuch (Sr., OH), Maddy Carretero (Sr., OH)

Aug, 25, Post: THE POST TOP 10 : Volleyball

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Nov. 21, 2007, Gazette: B-CC volleyball falls in 3A semifinal

Midway through the second game of Wednesday night’s Class 3A state semifinal, B-CC’s girls volleyball team had its chance. After dropping the first game against Huntingtown, the Barons had regrouped, finding ways to battle through Huntingtown’s blockers to find enough holes to tie the game at 10 points each. Then the Hurricanes showed why they have won the 3A South Region in all four years of their existence, and was a state finalist in each of the last two years. Huntingtown, led by hitters Margie Maresca and Dana Craft, won 15 of the final 21 points in the second game, and cruised to win in the third to take the match 25-15, 25-16, 25-13 at Ritchie Coliseum on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park.

‘‘We are obviously disappointed,” B-CC coach Michelle Clise said. ‘‘We came in with high expectations because we had so many returning players, but we just couldn’t put it together. We gave them too many points, and when you give points to a good team it’s hard to overcome.”

What made the loss doubly disappointing was that it was the second consecutive year the Barons had lost to Huntingtown in the state semifinals. A year ago, B-CC (14-4 record this season) had earned the top seed in the 3A West Region, and dominated its competition before falling to the Hurricanes in three games. This season, the Barons’ early-season loss to Damascus relegated it to the second seed in the regional playoffs, but their late-season surge played dividends, as they did not drop a game in three playoff games leading up to Wednesday. Also working to their advantage was the fact that almost the entirety of their starting lineup had played against Huntingtown (17-1) a year ago. However, they were unable to avoid the same fate.

‘‘We were trying not to think about last year but it was hard not to,” senior setter Wanxin Liu said. ‘‘They beat us pretty badly. This team has come pretty far this season, and we fought hard, but we weren’t able to come back tonight.” ...

Despite the loss, the Barons have much to look forward to. They lose just two seniors, Liu and libero Priscilla Aguilar, and setter Lee Geiser, who led the team with more than three assists per game, will return for her senior season. The same can be said for leading hitters Eck and Carreterro, who often were the heart of the team.

‘‘We fed off each other this year,” Liu said. ‘‘We supported each other. When I was down, I fed off the juniors. They have energy, and they were our motivation.”

Nov. 14, 2007, Gazette: Barons volleyball wins regional title, advances to state semis

For the second year in a row, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase girls volleyball team swept Frederick County’s Urbana in three games in the 3A West Region championship to advance to the state semifinals.

Despite falling behind 6-0 in the opening game, B-CC kept its composure and prevailed in three straight games, 25-19, 25-12, 25-20.

According to B-CC head coach Michelle Clise, staying calm throughout the match has been a problem throughout the season, but it was the key to victory on Friday.

‘‘We finally rose up to the occasion,” she said. ‘‘We kept it together and was able to pull out the victory. That kept our momentum going and there was no looking back for us.”

Match reports:

Nov. 5, 3A West Regional Semifinals: Watkins Mill 3, B-CC 0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-21)

The Lady Barons gave it their best shot in the 3A regional semifinals, but just couldn't quite put their best game together against an on-fire Watkins Mill (WM) squad.  WM's tough serving built an early 12-4 lead in game one.  The Barons started to scratch back into the game with some scrappier defense and great serving from Kate Dimsdale and Maddy Carretero (who led the Barons with 4 and 3 service aces over the night, respectively).  As the Barons steadied their hitting game, the Barons fought back into the game, but came up short at 21-25. 

The Barons took the early momentum in game 2 on some terrific passing and defense from Hannah Carretero and aggressive hitting from Rosie Eck and Maddy Carretero.  The signature backset from Lee Geiser to Hannah Carretero for the kill put the Barons up at 11-7.  But WM poured on the tough serving, aggressive hitting, and persistent defense, able to just wait for the Barons to make a mistake, and before long the Barons were down 11-14.  Fortunately, some more aggressive hitting and a kill by Nancy Makuch tied up the game once again at 14-14. The lead slipped back and forth with both sides playing both terrific defense and aggressive offense, waiting for the other to err.  The Barons soon found themselves down 20-24, but the Barons admirably refused to give up.  The Barons tied it up at 24-24 off an awesome middle attack from Asha Harvey, who showed great court presence by staying aggressive in a tight scoring situation.  Unfortunately, Watkins Mill fought right back and took the game at 26-24.  

By game 3, despite all their best efforts, the Barons were just not putting their best game together on the court.  Falling behind after some tough WM serving, the Barons' offense seemed to get tentative just trying to keep the ball in play.  But WM just pounced on these easier attacks, going almost exclusively to their nearly unstoppable hitter, Kim Van Lowe.  Some big hits by Eck and the Carreteros, and a signature stuff block from Eck and Geiser, narrowed the lead in the middle of the game, but WM just kept the pressure on.  So before the Barons - especially their seven seniors - were ready to end their season, the match ended with WM on top 25-21. 

The Barons have every reason to be proud of their 17-5 season.  Expectations were very high this year for this talented group, with opponents always firing up their best games for the Barons.  In addition, for significant stretches of the season, the Barons had injured players, forcing new creative lineups which made it hard for the Barons to gel with one set lineup.   But every one of these players contributed in significant ways. 

Co-Captain Rosie Eck's intimidating net play led the team's blocking game with 87 blocks over the season, 55 of them for points, in addition to leading the team with 145 kills and one of the top passing rates of the team.  She also grew into her leadership role on the court, with her voice often rising above the din to urge her teammates on or calling to her setter that she was ready to attack. Maddy Carretero's rocket-hitting arm truly became a dangerous thing for any digger attempting to dig her hits, leading the team both with a 45% kill rate (percent of attacks resulting in kills) and 36 service aces (despite missing several matches with injuries!).  But her talents weren't limited to the net, as she also led the team with the most digs (51), service aces (36) and the highest successful passing statistics.  Co-Captain Lee Geiser ran the offense with a steady hand, leading the team with 329 assists, contributing 33 service aces, and vastly improving her defensive game over the season.  Hannah Carretero made the most impressive improvement this season, after only playing in one prior varsity season.  She stayed ready and aggressive on every play, contributing 62 kills, 27 service aces, and had one of the team's top passing rates.   Co-Captain Nancy Makuch always brought her determined and positive spirit to the court, with contributions in every aspect of the game with 50 kills, 44 digs, and 12 service aces.  Kate Dimsdale and her yellow libero jersey brought sunshine and energy to the court whenever she jumped onto the court with her double high five to her teammate.  She contributed 33 service aces, 45 digs, and solid passing.  Miriam Mathis brought her tremendous skill and contagious enthusiasm to the setting position, leading the team with a 41% assist rate (# of sets that led to kills / attempted sets).   (Note that the above statistics are clearly home-made and taken by occasionally distracted parents who had to miss a game or match here and there,. So these should all be seen as understatements!)

But the future looks very bright for the Barons, as well.  Lanier Hagerty and Asha Harvey have gained important experience playing in the middle hitter position.  Sierra Hahn-Ventrell and Bri West can capably lead the passing and digging game.  Annemarie Galasso rightfully earned some confidence this season as an outside hitter, while Meredith Powers has a bright future as a setter.  

Thanks to Coach Michele Clise who navigated very carefully and wisely between appropriately high expectations for this talented squad while keeping the game fun and in perspective for these young athletes.   JV Coach Dana Creager also helped keep these girls on track in practices when Coach Clise was out and always modeled great sportsmanship.  The players were also very fortunate to have been supported by some great parents, siblings, neighbors, and fellow Baron athletes as great cheerleaders.  Thanks for the fun ride. 

Signing off after 4 wonderful years of being this terrific team's scribe, 

- Barb Geiser

Nov. 3, 3A West Regional Quarterfinals: B-CC 3, Seneca Valley 0 (25-6, 25-5, 25-11)

The Lady Barons graciously hosted but completely dominated Seneca Valley in the regional quarterfinal Monday.  The game primarily rested on strong serving from the Barons, as Seneca Valley's team lacked much serve receive experience.  Maddy Carretero's 9 service aces led the way, with Nancy Makuch, Lee Geiser and Hannah Carretero contibuting another 4, 3, and 3 service aces.  What was perhaps most impressive with the win was the Barons' mental discipline to stay aggressive and play their game without falling to the level of the competition.   The win further improves the Barons' season match record to an impressive 17-4 . 

Oct. 29: B-CC 3, Wootton 1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21)

On the road facing Wootton, the Barons started out with some extra confidence tonight with Maddy Carretero returning to the court after a brief injury, bringing her sharp passing and killer hitting.  But game one got off to a rocky start, with the Barons making a bunch of unforced errors and allowing Wootton a 10-1 lead.  As the game wore on, the players seemed to get reacquainted and started to read Wootton's offense better.  Some strong passing from the Carreteros (Hannah and Maddy), as well as some smart hitting from Lanier Hagerty and Nancy Makuch, helped slowly eat away at Wootton's lead, but the spread was just too great, and the Barons lost the first one 21-25. 

Game 2 started off a bit tentative once again, but the Barons stopped Wootton's lead at 7-2, before Hannah Carretero's serving and a more determined defense earned a Baron lead at 9-8.  From here on, the Barons' defense kept balls in play long enough for Rosie Eck and the other blockers to weaken the Wootton offense.  And with a more timid Wootton offense, the Barons could take charge and send back their even stronger hits for kills.  Both sides worked hard to take charge in this game.  However, Kate Dimsdale's perfect pass to Lee Geiser to Maddy Carretero for a big kill at 20-18 took the wind out of Wootton's sails.  Soon enough, the Barons took game 2 at 25-19, along with critical momentum for the next 2 games.   

In game 3, Geiser's serving got the team started off with an early lead, but Wootton regained it before too long.  But the Barons fought bravely and effectively throughout the game.  Despite the occasional disconnect, the Barons regained their rhythm, starting with the critical passing ingredient, particularly from Eck and Hannah Carretero.  The team also kept its cool despite losing some tough long rallies, and then losing another questionable referee call against the Barons.  As if to say "we can win anyway," Eck put up a total wall in the next play, blocking three consecutive attacks from Wootton before the ball finally fell to the ground, putting the Barons up at 19-16.  Off a great pass from Makuch, Geiser again found Maddy Carretero for a decisive shot to close down a Wootton rally at 20-18.  With a solid back row kill from Eck, the Barons went ahead at 22-19 and kept the lead to win at 25-21. 

Wootton fought hard in game 4, but the Barons kept their momentum, composure and increasingly consistent play.  With solid passing from her teammates, Geiser moved the ball around well, finding Maddy Carretero on numerous occasions for the kill, as well as any number of other hitters in the front or back row - Makuch, Hagerty, Eck. In one picture-perfect play, Maddy Carretero sent a perfect pass to Geiser, who pulled a surprise back set to Hannah Carretero for one of Hannah's signature kills (the ones which defy geometry by landing just inside the net on the other side).  Eck's blocking continued to frustrate Wootton, allowing the Barons to take command and win the game at 25-21.  

The entire squad should be proud of this win (and every other), with every player contributing at practice to improve their teammates and in games, with Coach Clise knowing that she can utilize anyone on the team as needed at any point in any match. 

With the win, the Barons head into the Maryland 3A West playoffs with a 16-4 record and the number 2 seed (only because they lost a tie-breaking coin toss).  They will host the regional quarterfinals against the winner of Wheaton and Seneca Valley next Monday, November 3 at 5pm.  Come cheer this great group of teammates on - Go Barons!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 24: Blake 3, B-CC 0 (25-21, 25-16, 29-27)

The Barons went on the road Friday to face Blake (undefeated in division play) at the latter's Senior Night. Still missing Maddy Carretero's hitting and passing due to her foot's stress fracture, the Barons put up a good fight, but ultimately just didn't have enough zing to topple Blake's superb defense and smart offense.

The Lady Barons got off to a good start with some solid play and suggested a close match, staying even with Blake at 8-8. But some unforced errors in the net or watching playable balls land in gave Blake a 15-13 lead that they never relinquished.  Rosie Eck put down some big kills later in the game, as did Lanier Hagerty, but the Barons could never quite press Blake consistently to regain a lead.  The game ended before B-CC seemed ready, with Blake ahead at 25-21. 

Hannah Carretero got game 2 off to a good start with an impressive kill, followed up by a service ace from Annemarie Galasso.  But once Blake regained the serve, and the referee made a few questionable calls against B-CC, the Barons seemed to lose their collective focus and aggressive attitude, finding themselves down 6-15.  The Barons rallied a bit to 10-15, but then Blake went on another run, and despite some great blocking by Eck and Lee Geiser, Blake put away game two at 25-16.  

Hagerty opened game three with two great kills early (with 8 kills for the match, one of her best matches this year - her first on varsity volleyball).  The Barons seemed more determined and more confident, particularly on their defense, fueled by some great digs by Eck, Kate Dimsdale and Nancy Makuch.  Miriam Mathis stepped in part way through this game, bringing good judgment and skill as she capably ran the offense without missing a beat, earning seven assists for the game. Galasso's tough serving put the Barons up at 14-9.  Hagerty kept Blake's defense guessing several times, which limited Blake's offense, as did Eck's intimidating blocking.  Carretero and Dimsdale both had some solid serving runs in this game, but the referee made another questionable call in Blake's favor to tie up the game at 20-20.  The Barons kept their composure and focus, battling fiercely for every point.  On a perfect pass from Dimsdale, Mathis found Makuch outside for a sizzling kill to tie up the game at 23-23, giving the Barons hope to take the third game.  But Blake had different ideas, and the two teams engaged in a seemingly endless defensive battle, with the score tied again at 25-25, before Blake eked out a 29-27 victory.

With this 3rd season loss to some strong opponents while missing Maddy Carretero, the Barons are now in a three-way tie for the top seed in the Maryland 3A West region.  The final seeding will be set by coin toss, but we know that the Barons will host its first round of playoffs on Monday, November 3.  And if Maddy Carretero is fully healed, any opponent better be ready!  In the meantime, the Barons will go on the road for one more tune-up match prior to the playoffs against Wootton on Wednesday, Oct. 29.  Go, Barons!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 22: B-CC 3, Clarksburg 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-21)

Fresh off their dominating defeat of Rockville the night before, the Lady Barons honored their seniors at Senior Night and took Clarksburg decisively in three straight games.  While the Barons weren't playing as tight volleyball as they have in recent matches, the Barons were working without their full line-up: Maddy Carretero only played briefly in the back row, given her stress fracture in her foot, and Nancy Makuch came out in the 2nd game with a (hopefully minor) ankle twist.  In any case, the Barons did what they had to do, with every member of the squad stepping in to contribute key pieces of the win. 

After a wonderful celebration of each of the seven seniors by the underclassmen, the all-senior starting line-up took the court to get down to business.  Miriam Mathis got things rolling early in the match, with a terrific tight angle kill to get the Barons' serve.  Mathis and Rosie Eck then combined for an intimidating block on the outside.  When junior Lanier Hagerty soon followed with a big solo block in the middle, Clarksburg wondered what they should try next.  Nancy Makuch pitched in some tough serving to extend the Barons' lead to 11-5.  The Barons got tentative on their serve receive, however, and couldn't convert some points, allowing their lead to narrow to 13-11.  But the Barons decisively took back the momentum when Maddy Carretero stepped in with a perfect pass to Lee Geiser, who sent a perfect quick set to Rosie Eck in the middle, who crushed the ball to the floor.  Hannah Carretero's serving kept the Barons scoring, and the Barons proceeded to take the game relatively easily at 25-16.  

Game 2 amounted largely to a serving and passing battle.  While many of the Barons chalked up some tough serving aces, there were also more missed serves than in the past.  Nancy Makuch showed her grit and determination early in this game after she clearly strained her ankle and the Clarksburg server tried to take advantage of Nancy's reduced mobility.  But Makuch refused to yield and took several of the serves head-on, and soon enough the Barons regained the serve.  This game saw some perfect passing from Kate Dimsdale and Rosie Eck.  Gradually, the Barons took the game at 25-18. 

By Game 3, the Barons seemed to have lost their focus and they fell behind 3-7.  Fortunately, some strong blocking from Geiser and Eck (the latter of whom led the Barons with 5 blocks for the night), as well as serving from Hannah Carretero, helped nibble away the lead.   A tight-angled kill from Annemarie Galasso tied the game back up at 13-13, and a serving and passing battle ensued.  Asha Harvey smacked a ball for a kill to put the Barons up at 18-17.  With Bri West, Dimsdale and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell all passing up the ball well, Geiser had her choice of hitters and could move the ball well to her hitters.  Slowly, the Barons pulled ahead with Dimsdale's serves and Harvey's blocking, and B-CC took the match at 25-21. 

The Barons next travel to play the talented Blake squad at 6:30 on Friday, October 24.  If the Barons maintain their winning ways, they stand a good chance to host many of their playoff matches the first week of November.  Keep it up, Barons!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 16: Pooleville 3, B-CC 0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-10)

In front of a very supportive home crowd (including some field hockey familes - thanks, guys!), the Lady Barons played a terrific match, but just couldn't match the quick offense and relentless defense of undefeated Poolesville.  With a temporary injury sidelining Maddy Carretero, one of the Barons' top passers and hitters, the Barons seemed more determined than ever to make Poolesville work to earn any point.

The Barons got off to an aggressive start in game one, taking an early lead.  Determined defense from the entire squad kept the ball alive in order to get the ball to setter Lee Geiser, who found Rosie Eck and Nancy Makuch for some early kills.  With many rallies seeing the ball cross the net 5-6 times per point, both teams struggled to get much momentum to secure a lead.  But late in game 1, the Barons couldn't convert a tough Poolesville serve, and the game ended before B-CC was really ready to concede at 15-25.  

But the Barons came out for game 2 ready to fight harder.  Eck and Geiser combined for a few blocks to force Poolesville to adjust its hitting game, while Hannah Carretero and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell anticipated well on defense to keep balls alive for the offense.  And with great passing from Eck and Kate Dimsdale, Geiser could move around her sets well, switching well between quick sets to Eck, to an aggressive Asha Harvey on the outside, or to Hannah Carretero on her back side.  Lanier Hagerty also put up some good blocks to keep Poolesville honest.  But the Poolesville defense seemed to have no holes, ensuring a small lead throughout most of the game.  Geiser showed her game smarts on several occasions in this game, using her height and some good passing to attack on the 2nd ball, when Poolesville wasn't ready.  And when Eck delivered some big back-row kills, Poolesville was forced to call its first time out with their lead narrowing to only 21-18.  The time-out seemed to work, however, as Poolesville regained its composure and took game 2 at 25-19. 

Game 3 got off to a slow start for the Barons, who couldn't get out of a tough serve receive situation, digging a hole at 2-9.  But the Barons refused to give in, with Dimsdale, Carretero and Eck providing some precision passes and Carretero always ready to find open court as she earned kills from either side of the court (she led the Barons' hitting attack, with 8 kills, at a 50% kill rate).  So while the Barons showed some determined defense here and there, they also missed some serves and made other unforced errors to let Poolesville to pull away.  But in an impressive demonstration of teamwork, the Barons stuck together win or lose, often quickly regrouping in the center of court after a point to support each other and refocus.  But after a few more errors and more pressure from Poolesville, the Barons dropped game 3 at 10-25. 

The Barons showed their grit and teamwork in this match and earned a great deal of respect from the spectators and, hopefully themselves.  Fighting hard against tough opponents - as they have against numerous other tough competitors outside the 3A division - will serve them well in the upcoming 3A playoffs.  

The Barons' next and final regular home game will be Senior Night, next Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 pm against Clarksburg.  Come and honor the seven seniors who've worked so hard and so well with their teammates over the years. 

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 14: B-CC 3, Wheaton 0 (25-7, 25-15, 25-7)

The Lady Barons' skill and depth defeated an inexperienced Wheaton volleyball squad on the road tonight in three straight games.  With Wheaton's many unforced errors, the match didn't provide much in terms of volleyball excitement.  But the Barons used the match to demonstrate their depth and experiment with different lineups and roles for players on the court. Sophomore setter Meredith Powers led the Barons' serving game, earning 5 service aces, including one to end game 2 at 25-15.  Junior middle hitter Lanier Hagerty led the hitting, earning six kills for the night, while senior setter Miriam Mathis led the setting with 9 assists.  Sophomore Asha Harvey and Junior Bri West came into their own on the court tonight, both in terms of steady passing as well as aggressive, smart hitting.  And junior Annemarie Galasso also had an all-around strong night on all counts, in terms of serving, passing and hitting. 

The Barons will next face undefeated Poolesville at home on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 6:30 pm.   If the Barons play their aggressive and confident best, it could be one of the best volleyball matches in Montgomery County this year.  Come on out and cheer the Barons on.

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 7: Gaithersburg 3, B-CC 2 (25-19, 25-19, 15-25, 14-25, 4-15)

Despite an early and decisive 2-game lead, the lady Barons seemed to lose their groove against the disciplined passing squad from Gaithersburg and fell in a heartbreaker, losing the next 3 games.  The Barons started out great with a combination of gutsy defense from Nancy Makuch, Sierra Hahn-Ventrell and Kate Dimsdale, which fueled smart setting from Lee Geiser to her array of hitters - Rosie Eck, Maddy Carretero, Lanier Hagerty, Hannah Carretero and Makuch.  The aggressive defense and constant communication between the team seemed to fuel their energy and confidence, so that despite some serving runs from Gaithersburg, the Barons won game 1 rather convincingly at 25-19.   Game 2 saw a similar story, with middle blockers Hagerty and Eck particularly holding the Gaithersburg offense at bay.  Some tough serving from Makuch and Hannah Carretero - backed up by strong net play to keep the serve - pushed the Barons to win Game 2, 25-19.  To all who were watching, it seemed that just one more game to 25 would give the Barons another match win. 

But the Gaithersburg coach had some other ideas, making some strategic changes in her team's lineup to better match her players up against the Barons.  The Barons lost a particularly tough rally in the middle of the game, sparking a strong home crowd reaction, and seemingly taking some of the air out of the Barons' collective aggressive spirit.  The Barons' serve received faltered, allowing an extensive serving string for Gaithersburg, and before they knew it, B-CC lost game three, 15-25. 

The loss made the Barons hesitate and play tentatively, particularly in terms of its passing and serve receive, where so much of the game is mental confidence.  By the time an occasional set got to the Barons' hitters, they too became tentative, allowing Gaithersburg to pounce with their renewed confidence and offense.  So while there were the occasional great Baron plays later in the match, there just weren't enough of them to counter a resurgent Gaithersburg, who went on to take Games 4 and 5: 14-25 and 4-15, respectively.

Fortunately, the Barons are a smart and cohesive team, so they are bound to learn from the loss as they prepare for some other very challenging matches later in the season.  Chief of these will be the Barons' next home game against undefeated Poolesville on Thursday, October 16, at 6:30 pm.  Come on out to see some terrific volleyball!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 3: B-CC 3, Walter Johnson 0 (25-13, 25-11, 25-14)

The Lady Barons volleyball team dominated Walter Johnson's less experienced squad on Friday, winning in a quick three-straight match.  The range of the Barons offense was again apparent, with strong attacks from all Barons hitters.  Strong serving from both Kate Dimsdale and Nancy Makuch in particular helped keep the Barons on top in Game 1, as did some terrific blocking and hitting from Lanier Hagerty from the middle.  Her aggressive play and fakes held WJ's blocker to leave her Baron teammates on the outside facing only one blocker, usually for the kill.  Aggressive defense from Maddy Carretero and Makuch also kept the Barons pumped up for a decisive 25-13 win. 

Game 2 saw much of the same, but with some particularly strong back row attacks from Rosie Eck, who led the hitting stats with 11 kills for the match.  Annemarie Gallaso also contributed 2 strong kills this game. With determined defense and passing – particularly from Maddy Carretero who led the Barons' digging and passing stats for the match – the Barons pressed WJ, who struggled to put much of an offense together.  The game ended with a quick set from Lee Geiser to Eck in the middle for a nice kill.  

Game 3 was never in doubt, with the entire B-CC squad joining in for the win.  Miriam Mathis pitched in on the setting and delivered some tough serving, including a service ace, to bring the early score to 7-3.  Eck combined with both Makuch and Geiser for a decisive set of blocks.  Galasso expanded the lead with some great serves, and several players stepped up to the challenge to play in some new positions.  The setters mixed up the sets well, securing kills from defensive specialists Bri West and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell.  And with some great focus, West served up the final match point to win at 25-14.

The Barons will next travel on Tuesday, Oct. 7, to face perennial volleyball power Gaithersburg at 6:30 pm.  Gaithersburg traditionally hosts an exuberant home crowd, so come on up to show them how much we support our Barons!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Oct. 1: B-CC 3, Northwest 0 (25-16, 25-7, 25-21)

The B-CC varsity volleyball squad successfully resisted the challenge from the previously undefeated Northwest's spirited and scrappy team tonight.  At the outset, Northwest's tough serving gained them an early lead.  The Barons' serve receive and offense fortunately started to click, and at 8-8, the game became a slugfest between the teams' strengths: sizzling hits from the wide range of B-CC attackers and determined and skillful defense from Northwest.  As a result, many rallies late in the game saw the ball cross the net more than 6 or 7 times before finally hitting the floor.  But as the game progressed, the Barons showed how their defensive game had improved greatly from last year.  In one key play, Lee Geiser dove for a ball 15 feet outside the side court to keep it alive for Rosie Eck to catch up and thread the impossibly thin angle to get the ball back across the net, winning the point and sending the Barons crowd instantaneously to their feet.  With a few more aggressive kills from Eck, Maddy Carretero and Nancy Makuch, the Barons sealed the first game at 25-16.

Northwest wasn't ready to give up in game two, however, and the game was tied once again at 4-4.  But then Kate Dimsdale stepped up to serve.  Between her pinpoint serves and Eck's domination at the net – including three consecutive blocks of anything Northwest put anywhere near the net – the Barons were soon up 12-4. With Northwest intimidated from any real attack, the Barons were able to send precision passes up to Geiser, who could easily find any of her hitters ready to pummel the ball from anywhere in the court.  Hannah Carretero contributed several service aces late in the game, as did Makuch.  A massive back court kill from Maddy Carretero ended the game at 25-7.

Northwest came out ready to fight once again in game three.  But the Barons refused to yield, showing their own defensive determination, again showcasing the growth they've made in this department this year.  The rest of the Barons squad all came in to contribute and helped build a 17-7 lead.  Setter Miriam Mathis was particularly effective this game, earning assists on more than 50% of her sets.  Unfortunately, five service errors and some miscommunication regarding court positions allowed Northwest back into the game to narrow the score to 22-18.  But the Barons stuck together and kept their composure, culminating in Mathis connecting with Makuch for the kill and match point at 25-21. 

The Barons hope to extend their current undefeated record at home at 6:30 pm on Friday, October 3, against Walter Johnson.  Come on out to see the excitement!  And if you happen to REALLY love volleyball and like to cheer loudly against similarly proud and energetic fans, come on up to support the Barons against Gaithersburg – one of the few B-CC opponents with their own six-footers on their squad – next Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 pm!  It's bound to be an exciting match!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 22: B-CC 3, Quince Orchard 0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-18)

Despite the fact that the Barons weren't at the top of their game, B-CC had enough height and skill to manage a decisive victory against a scrappy Quince Orchard team in three straight games.  QO came out strong in the first game with some tough serving and aggressive play, while the Barons played tentatively and without too much conviction.  Still the Barons never conceded, and every player pulled out a clutch play here or there to keep the Barons in the game:  Rosie Eck had some great serves, Lanier Hagerty put away some great balls from the middle, while Nancy Makuch and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell sent a couple smart shots to the open court on QO side.  After more back and forth rallies than seemed warranted, Eck and Hannah Carretero put an end to game 1 with a decisive stuff block at 25-21.

QO got an early lead in game 2 with some strong serving.  But Makuch's effective mix of shots got the Barons back in the game: first deep to the corner to get the defense back on their heels, followed by a finesse tip shot that caught the defense too deep, only to send the next one deep again. Soon, the Barons seemed to regain some of their confidence and passing - particularly from Maddy Carretero and Eck (who combined for 38 good passes over the night) - which allowed setter Lee Geiser to find her hitters ready to put the ball away.  The Barons gradually pulled away, as QO found it hard to find a weakness between Kate Dimsdale's and Hannah Carretero's serving, Maddy Carretero's passing, Geiser's setting, Makuch's hitting and Eck's blocking.  The game ended with a QO error at 25-15.

Geiser put on a serving display at the start of game 3, moving her serve to the back corners or short to keep QO guessing, working to build a 9-0 lead, with the help of some great blocking from Hagerty in the middle.  But QO fought back with some tough serving of their own to cut back the lead before Miriam Mathis stepped back to serve and contribute a service ace to advance the lead to 16-6.  She also moved the ball around well to her hitters, earning 4 setting assists.  Asha Harvey pitched in some great energy into the middle with a series of blocks and kills in this game, leading observers to wonder if she jumped higher for the play or for the celebration after her efforts earned the team another point.  After 1 or 2 more serving runs from QO, Eck and Mathis put up an intimidating block to remove much hope QO had of getting back in the game.  In an ironic end to the match, Geiser managed to earn a kill of her own by drawing her blocker into the net as she attacked, to win at 25-18.

The Barons have the rest of the week off and will share some of their skills at clinics with Westland students.  But come see them at home in action next week:  Wednesday, Oct. 1, against Northwest and Friday, October 3, against Walter Johnson, both at 6:30 pm. 

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 19: B-CC 3, Richard Montgomery 0 (25-9, 25-7, 25-11)

A very poised, skilled and aggressive B-CC team came out tonight to beat Richard Montgomery (RM) in three straight games.  Unlike in earlier years when the teams faced a less experienced team, the Barons communicated well and passed the ball with precision to fuel an efficient and dominating offense.  Maddy Carretero set the pace early in the match by chasing down a high errant ball approaching the referree, jumping and twisting in mid-air, and finding the one narrow angle that could possibly keep the ball in play, managing to drop the ball on the one-foot line for a kill.  Thanks to strong passing from Rosie Eck, Hannah Carretero and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell, setter Lee Geiser could move the ball around well to all of her eager hitters, including Lanier Hagerty, the new middle hitter addition to the Baron squad, and Nancy Makuch, regaining her hitting confidence after an illness. After Eck earned three service aces and Geiser earned two more, Maddy Carretero sealed the game with her own to end Game 1 at 25-9. 

Game 2 was similar to game 1, but with the Barons showing off the depth of their team, bringing onto the court every player who wasn't injured (get better soon, Asha and Meredith!).  With the support of an intimidating front row of Eck, Geiser and Maddy Carretero, Kate Dimsdale got the game off to a 10-2 start with some strong serving.  Miriam Mathis joined in the game and added in her own tough serves, expanding on the lead to 16-6 by running an effective offense.  Hahn-Ventrell also delivered two solid service aces down the line this game.  The game ended at 25-7 when an RM player overpassed Hahn-Ventrell's serve into the dangerous territory of Maddy Carretero, who was more than happy to send the ball back with a deafening crush.  Great set Sierra!

Game 3 continued the Barons' dominance, with Geiser setting the stage with 4 service aces.  All the Barons contributed in this game in new and exciting ways, with: Bri West in to serve, Geiser hitting across the front row, and Maddy Carretero taking a turn at middle blocking.   Carretero and Mathis combined for the block to end the match at 25-11. 

The breadth of the stats showed a talented and balanced squad.  Seven players each contributed two or more kills in the match, with Eck leading the way at 7.  And 10 Barons had more than 4 good passes or digs, with Maddy Carretero leading this category with 10. Both Mathis and Geiser earned a good number of assists, 6 and 18, respectively.  Eight players had service aces tonight (although eight serves were missed tonight, also, a number that will need to come down against stronger teams).

We hope the Barons will take this focus, energy and communication into their next round of more challenging matches.  The Barons travel to face Quince Orchard on Monday, Sept. 22.  They'll  return to Bethesda for 2 matches the next week:  Wednesday, Oct. 1 (Northwest) and Friday, Oct. 3 (Walter Johnson), both at 6:30 pm.  Be sure to come and catch the enthusiasm of this exciting team.  It's free, and it's warm!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 17: B-CC 3, Churchill 1 (18-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-21)

The Lady Barons had to work hard tonight to defeat a scrappy and steady Churchill team, 3 games to 1.  Churchill took the lead in game 1 quickly, with the Barons looking tentative and making unforced errors on serve receive and all throughout their game.  Despite some positive plays here and there, the Barons ended up on the wrong side of the score, 18-25.

Fortunately, the Barons came out ready to play in game 2, with Maddy Carretero's and Kate Kimsdale's serves and Rose Eck's blocks getting the team out to an early 7-1 lead.  B-CC's passing game much improved in this game - particularly from Eck, Hannah Carretero, and Sierra Hahn-Ventrell - giving setter Lee Geiser many more options for a more aggressive offense.  One particularly great play late in the game had a picture-perfect dig from Annemarie Galasso straight to Geiser, who put the quick set to Eck for the kill.  When the referee disqualified Maddy Carretero's beautiful "pancake" dig (when a player's hand successfully dives forward and flat along the floor to let the ball bounce off the back of the hand, rather than the floor), the Barons only took that as a reason to end the game more quickly at 25-13.

B-CC kept its momentum early in game 3, but Churchill's defense and strong serving rallied and gave them an early 12-8 lead.  Asha Harvey came into the game to mix things up, and she contributed a great aggressive block.  Everyone played their part to chip away at the lead, tying up the game at 14-14.  Churchill's serving game again gave them the lead at 19-16.  But the Barons fought back admirably, particularly with great passing and defense from Hannah Carretero, which allowed Geiser to mix up her sets and often finding Maddy Carretero in the back court for a blistering kill.  B-CC's grit showed through, and they triumphed at 25-22.  

By game 4, the Barons' passing improved, and as usual, good things happened.  Nancy Makuch, back on the court for the first time after an illness, seemed to regain her hitting rhythm and put a couple solid shots to the floor.  Several aces from Dimsdale and Geiser also helped build an early 17-9 lead.  Coach Clise took the opportunity to give several other great Baron players some time on the court, with Miriam Mathis and Meredith Powers splitting up the setting duties.  Churchill rallied hard to try to take advantage of the newcomers on the court, but both Mathis and Powers kept their composure through some long rallies that could have gone either way.  Powers kept her serves tough and earned a service ace.  When it came to Mathis' turn to set, she had several setting marathons, moving the ball around to just about every other Baron player until she finally found Maddy Carretero in the back court for the kill.  Mathis put the finishing touch on the match with a service ace to win the game and match at 25-21.

In all, the match saw more offensive stats than the Barons have seen all year, with Geiser earning 33 assists throughout the match, and Maddy Carretero and Rosie Eck earning 14 and 13 kills apiece.  With their long arms, Maddy and Rose also led in the passing department, with 28 and 19 good passes, respectively.   Hannah Carretero seemed to be everywhere tonight, reading the offense well and coming up with 11 digs.  Dimsdale led with 5 service aces, while Eck and Geiser contributed another 4 each.  Kudos to everyone for a great team effort against an admirable opponent!

The Barons will host Richard Montgomery on Friday, September 19, at 6:30 pm.  Come cheer them on!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 13, Magruder Invitational: B-CC 2nd

The Barons played some really terrific volleyball Saturday at the Magruder Invitational.  In order to win a top playoff berth, the Barons worked hard to defeat all four opponents in their pool:  Urbana, Kennedy, Richard Montgomery, and Damascus.  The Barons then faced Paint Branch in the semifinals and won handily in the first game.  By the second game, the Barons lost their focus.  Paint Branch was more than happy to take advantage, and they took the second game.  In a real knuckle-biter, the Barons pulled out the tie-breaker game at 17-15 to proceed to face the host team, Magruder, for the championship.  Despite the best intentions of the Barons' squad, however, B-CC lacked the focus - or perhaps the energy (after a nearly 13-hour day) - to counter a well-rested Magruder squad with a very strong serving and disciplined passing game.  

But despite the day's disappointing end, the Barons had much to be proud of.  Middle-hitter Rosie Eck was appropriately honored for her domination of the net - and her great passing and defense in the back court - and selected to the all-tournament team.  Maddy Carretero delivered some of the hardest hits to the floor ever seen in a high school gym.  Lee Geiser skillfully quarterbacked the offense, often delivering sets 25-30 feet away to find a hitter all alone without a blocker for a kill, earning 80 assists.  Hannah Carretero contributed some of the best serving strings of the day, confidently delivering tough serves even after opponents called time-outs to stop her momentum.   Annemarie Galasso pitched in some great offense, with 11 kills.  Kate Dimsdale always brought positive attitude and energy to the court and pitched in 39 good passes on the day.  Sierra Hahn-Ventrell read her opponents' offense well and was often just in the right place to send a perfect dig up to the setter, earning 17 good passes and 7 digs over the day.  Lanier Hagerty, as a relative newcomer to volleyball, contributed 16 kills and 8 blocks and showed her great potential for the game, given her natural athletic instincts. Miriam Mathis showed what a strong setter she is, whenever she came onto court to take charge of the offense.  Asha Harvey delivered energy whenever she joined the squad on the court, as did Meredith Powers and Bri West, who surprised Magruder in the finals with some of the best digs of the match.   Nancy Makuch showed her dedication to the team, sitting on the bench and cheering the entire day, despite the fact that only a week ago, she'd been in the hospital!

Congratulations to Coach Michele Clise and the entire squad.  Come watch the Barons' next home match against the undefeated Churchill squad on Wednesday, September 17, at 6:30 pm!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 11: B-CC 3, Whitman 0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-15)

In front of its first home crowd of this season, the B-CC girls volleyball squad soundly defeated crosstown rival Whitman on Thursday in three straight games in B-CC's "Game of the Week."    Early in game 1, B-CC strugged to find its rhythm with various unforced errors and some uncertainty in the team's rotations around the court.   But once the Barons' passing game settled down to give Lee Geiser the ball near the net where she could pick her hitters, the Barons gained their confidence - usually with Maddy Carretero decisively ending a play with one of her blistering kills (earning the match-high 9 kills for the night).  The Barons' serving game also kept Whitman on its toes, with junior Annemarie Galasso - filling in ably for senior hitter Nancy Makuch, who was out sick - serving consistently and getting the Barons ahead 8-6.  Kate Dimsdale provided some great passing and serving this game, while Rosie Eck continued to dominate the net with her intimidating block.  Galasso put the 1st game away with 2 consecutive service aces at 25-15. 

The Barons came out more decisive in the second game, with Geiser finding Eck in the middle for some quick attacks and some solid serving from Dimsdale.  When Eck solo stuff-blocked one of Whitman's free ball passes over the net, one could sense Whitman's desperation.  But mid-game unforced errors from the Barons let Whitman close the gap more than they should have to 11-10.  Geiser's strategic serving (earning the match-high 7 service aces), however, widened the lead to 18-10.  Picking up the serve soon thereafter, Hannah Carretero's serves were also tough for Whitman to handle, and the game quickly ended with Maddy Carretero crushing an overpass at 25-14.

Game three allowed Coach Clise to show the depth of the B-CC squad, with sophomore Asha Harvey stepping in with great offensive energy across the front row.  The Barons' passing game also settled down, with strong steady passing from nearly all quarters:  Eck (match high of 12 good passes), Dimsdale, both Carreterros and Hahn-Ventrell all played disciplined defense and serve receive.  With the passing closer to the net, Geiser was able to move the ball around and connect with junior middle hitter Lanier Hagerty, who artfully placed a quick set deep to Whitman's far corner.  The few times Whitman could pull its offense together, Eck was usually on the case (leading the Barons' blocking with 6 for the match).  Junior setter Miriam Mathis also contributed significantly this game, stepping up to serve and take command of the offense.  As always, she brought her great positive attitude onto the court and moved the ball around well to her hitters.  Near the end of the game, Galasso delivered some scorching serves to limit Whitman's offense.  Before long, Geiser and Eck shut down Whitman's last attack at 25-15. giving the home crowd something more to cheer about.

Thanks to all those old and new fans who came out to cheer this great group of hard-working girls.  The Barons will next compete in the very competitive Magruder Invitational Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 13, but will return again to their home court at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, September 17, against Churchill.   Come on out and cheer them on!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

Sept. 5: B-CC 3, Damascus 1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-19)

Facing a formidable foe on the road for its season opener, the B-CC girls volleyball squad fought hard to defeat Damascus on Friday night.

Damascus clearly came out ready to play on its home turf and eager to upset the Barons, the highly-ranked two-year defending regional champions. The smaller Damascus squad sported a nearly impenetrable defense, which caught the Barons off guard when they'd send a bruising spike over to Damascus, only to see an opponent miraculously save the ball and send it back to the Barons again and again. Early in the game, the Barons appeared uncertain of their line-up, leading to tentative serve receive and passing, which is the necessary fuel to any offense. But there were clear glimmers of hope with the occasional big back row attack from Maddy Carretero or intimidating block from Rosie Eck. So even as the Barons weren't dominating the scoreboard, the team showed great poise by sticking together both on the court and the bench. With 7 experienced seniors on the squad and some promising new talent added to the mix, the Barons never lost their cool or deep-seated confidence. Junior Bri West, in particular, showed her cool when she came in off the bench to serve when the Barons faced Damascus' first game point, 21-24. Without blinking an eye, she kept her serve in and kept alive hopes for a Baron comback. But Damascus' relentless defense ultimately prevailed and took the 1st game, 25-22.

The Barons launched the 2nd game with renewed determination and some tough serving from Hannah Carretero. Kate Dimsdale contributed some steady passing and defense, and the Barons were out to an early lead of 6-3. Intimidating blocking from Eck and Lee Geiser slowed Damascus' momentum, and the Barons gradually regained their more aggressive confidence. As Damascus had to work to get around the block, Dimsdale and freshman defensive specialist Sierra Hahn-Ventrell. could more easily get the ball to setter Lee Geiser, who had an incredible array of possible hitters to whom she could shoot the ball for a kill. After Geiser had gone successfully several times to Eck with the quick attack from the middle, she pulled out a surprise backset to Hannah Carretero, who found herself without any blockers and an easy kill, putting the Barons ahead at 17-11. Sensing the shift in momentum, Damascus put their defense in high gear once again and then pulled out some equally tough serves which challenged the Barons' serve receive. Fortunately, the Barons adjusted before too many points could be lost, and Eck put a ball away as if to say "enough if enough." Nancy Makuch then served tough for the Barons, allowing the Barons offense to do its thing, with Geiser finding different hitters in every part of the court. Maddie Carretero delivered some blistering hits from the back row, and the Barons ended game 2 on the top side of 25-17.

Game 3 built on the 2nd game, with the Barons gelling with steadier defense and passing, which fueled a diverse offense. Lanier pitched in some solid blocking in the middle. And on offense, she consistently held a blocker as she faked her attacks, allowing teammates to be 1-on-1 against the smaller Damascus blocks. Sophomore Asha Harvey came in to help support the offense in game 3, showing the Barons' great depth on the bench. The Barons took the 3rd game decisively at 25-14.

Damascus wasn't ready to give up, however, and they served tough enough to secure an early 6-2 lead in Game 4. But the Barons never lost their composure, and Hahn-Ventrell and Dimsdale pulled out some great defense to keep the Barons alive. The game teetered back and forth to 14-14 as Damascus' defense refused to yield. But as Dimsdale went back to serve, the Damascus offense gradually lost its steam as it faced the double block of the "twin towers" Maddy Carretero and Eck (both 6 feet tall). The Barons defense again found its rhythm, allowing Geiser to mix up her sets, finding her hitters with great openings for kills, including finding little Hahn-Ventrell in the back court for a kill of her own. The final play saw Makuch crunch a ball over to Damascus, who just barely kept the ball alive, but unfortunately sending it across the net into the dangerous territory of Eck, who was happy to deliver the final blow to the ground for the win at 25-19.

The win was extra satisfying for the Barons as it evened the scales after Damascus defeated B-CC in the season opener last year. But as Damascus showed on Friday, every team will be eager to rise to the challenge to defeat the Barons this year. Fortunately, the Barons' team is powerful, experienced, deep in every category, and shows great teamwork. While Eck and Maddy Carretero led the hitting charge with 12 and 8 kills, respectively, Makuch and Hannah Carretero each contributed another 4. Dimsdale led the passing with 17 good passes, but Eck and Maddy Carretero each added another 12 each. Maddie Carretero led the group that night with 5 service aces, and Dimsdale and Eck pitched in 3 each. Eck dominated the blocking game with 11 blocks, with Makuch, Geiser, and Maddy Carretero earning 5, also.

Wear your blue and gold and come on out to see the Barons show their skill and teamwork when they host Whitman for this week's Game of the Week at 6:30 pm on Thursday, September 11. It's free and it's fun!

- Reported by Barb Geiser

* * *

Nov. 14, 2007: Maryland State Semifinals - Huntingtown 3, B-CC 0 (17-25, 16-25, 13-25)

Game one got off to a good start for the Barons, but Huntingtown's strong serve tested the Barons' tentative serve receive several times through the game.  Without the critical serve receive, the Barons couldn't generate much offense, and the Barons slowly slipped behind.  Maddy Carretero and Nancy Makuch put up a strong block early on, as did Eck and Ari Stowe, which pressured Huntingtown into some hitting errors. Nonetheless, the Barons were soon down 14-21, but admirably, they did not give up.  In fact, after a long rally with some great defense, Priscilla Aguilar dug up a picture-perfect ball to Lee Geiser, who found Carretero with a nice quick set in the middle for the kill.  The play reminded themselves and the very sizeable B-CC crowd of what the Lady Barons could do.  Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and the game ended with the Barons down 17-25.

Fortunately, B-CC's drum line had joined the fan club at the Univ of MD and provided some extra noise, energy, and support for the girls after game one.  It appeared to remind the Barons of their home gym, and they came out more relaxed and ready to play their game.  Geiser got a couple quick service points to start out the 2nd game, and Aguilar delivered some stunning defensive work to keep the Barons up 6-5.  But the Barons' serve receive game faltered, and the offense just couldn't get any momentum, and soon they were down 12-19. Despite an occasional great dig from Makuch or Carretero or a kill from Geiser or Stowe, soon the Barons were down 16-24.  To make things worse, Rosie Eck came down wrong off of a block and injured her ankle.  Hannah Carretero came in bravely off the bench to pitch in after losing Rosie, but Huntingtown quickly ended the game at 25-16.

Without Eck, Coach Clise did her best to rejigger the lineup in the 3rd game.  Getting used to this new lineup made the Barons more tentative, but they fought back with some strong serving from Liu to bring the score to 6-7.  But Huntingtown started to pull away with their consistent play.  After Geiser regrouped the Barons on the court to pull them together, B-CC seemed to regain some focus.  Makuch inspired the entire gym with a spectacular dig, which M. Carretero soared into the air to touch and sent it into Huntingtown territory for the kill.  Regaining the serve, H. Carretero stepped back to serve and caught her opponents unprepared for her top spin, earning a service ace.  But Huntingtown's passing skill regained them the serve, and slowly they expanded their lead to 22-10.  Despite the score, the Barons never stopped trying.  Near the end of this game, Stowe took charge at the net and attacked on the 2nd ball which surprised Huntingtown for 2 straight kills.  But the gap was just too large, and Huntingtown won the game at 25-13. 

The match was over, but every member of the Baron squad deserves to hold their head high for a tremendous season.  Meredith Powers, Julie Siegel and Asha Harvey came up from JV for the playoffs, and they gained some important varsity practice experience.  Andie Vaught and Gillea Benitez were always hustling in practice and contributing on defense.  Kate Dimsdale improved greatly over last season and was always leading the bench's cheers, even earning a chastisement from a referee "tell # 14 to SIT DOWN."  Hannah Carretero showed her amazing athleticism by playing her first year of girls volleyball and stepping in routinely to help out as needed anywhere on the court.  Miriam Mathis greatly improved her setting skills and gained some experience in the challenging role of setter and always had a cheer on her lips and a smile on her face.

Ari Stowe - in addition to serving as the team's jokester - added great depth to the team's offensive attack, providing an important alternative for setters when blockers were camped on her teammates.  Despite a multi-week layoff for a shoulder injury, Nancy Makuch came into her own this year, developing both a terrifyingly powerful arm swing, as well as a terrifying willingness to throw herself to the floor after any ball within reach.  In her 1st varsity season, Maddy Carretero had a breakout season both on offense - with nearly 50% of her attacks registering as kills - but also on defense where she was the 2nd highest dig leader and the 2nd highest blocker.  Lee Geiser led the team in both assists and service aces - at nearly 20% of all her serves - while showing some greatly improved hitting skills and providing important leadership on the floor.  Stonewall Rosie Eck also had a breakout season with her intimidating blocks, leading the team in both average blocks and kills per game. 

And how will the Barons say goodbye to their two irreplaceable seniors? Priscilla Aguilar's unrelenting hustle and defensive skills made her the team's dig leader for the season.  But more importantly, through her example, she pressed everyone to put forward their best effort.  Working at 95% wasn't enough for Priscilla, and her teammates never wanted to let her down.  And finally, Wanxin Liu willingly stepped in to share setting duties with Geiser, greatly expanding her tremendous all-around skills in the game.  So in addition to learning the different setting role - one of the most difficult in volleyball - Wanxin also had the team's 2nd highest kills per game, while pitching in a huge number of assists and service aces, also.  She will be B-CC's representative at the senior all-star game at Magruder on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 7:00 - so come cheer her on, while witnessing some spectacular volleyball. 

Thanks to our growing number of fans from other sports and activities across B-CC, as well as the drumline, which truly earned the awe of the Huntingtown fans and the state referees who clearly had never seen such a demonstration of school support!  Finally, thanks to coaches Michelle Clise and Dana Creager, who skillfully guided these players through a 14-4 season.  They showed the players how to manage the very difficult balance of working hard, yet keeping a sense of humor and perspective, which can so easily get lost in the "quest to win." So thank you, coaches.  Thank you, everyone.

Signing off after another wonderful B-CC volleyball season,

- Reported by Barb Geiser

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