Newbury Sweet 16

Friday, October 30, 2009

By Jay Scott

The Black Knights volleyball team is in the Sweet 16 after winning the Div. IV district champions with a 3-2 win over Windham at Badger High School in Kinsman.

After dropping the first game 25-21, Newbury won the next two 27-25 and 25-19. The scrappy Bombers battled back in the fourth game to even things up with a 25-17 victory. In the fifth and final game the Black Knights captured their championship 15-9.

Two days earlier, Newbury volleyball team faced Ashtabula Sts. John and Paul in the district tournament and for the second straight year the Black Knight defeated the Fighting Heralds in the semi final.

This trip to the district finals was extra special for senior Danielle Day, “I think last year no one expected us to end up in the finals, this year we feel like we have the talent and we deserve to be here, and we want to win it.”

The Black Knights disposed of the Fighting Heralds in four games; 25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-11.

Newbury started off hot, jumping out to a 13-6 lead on the efforts of sophomore southpaw Katie Barton’s seven straight service points.

Barton ended the night with 14 points. Barton said following the game, “Really, seven in a row? I didn’t know how many I had but it was fun.”

Newbury coach Carla Richardson applauded the efforts of her girl’s first game saying, “We were just running on pure adrenaline. We got off the bus and we were ready to play.”

Game two saw the Fighting Heralds make things interesting by coming to within one point (21-20) after trailing by as many as seven, but Sts. John and Paul could not overcome the clutch hitting of the Black Knights.

Game three Newbury turned into their own worse enemy by committing a variety of unforced errors and not capitalizing on Sts. John and Paul’s miscues. Newbury found themselves down 13-5 yet battled back to 21-22 — but could get no closer.

Coach Richardson said of the third game, “I think we fell victim to (Sts. John and Paul) playing without pressure and us putting pressure on ourselves, but we came back in the fourth game with experience and really played our game.”

And respond they did, as Newbury sophomore Hanna Wiley served seven straight points to give her an 11-4 advantage. The Fighting Heralds got nothing going offensively in the final game; Wiley ended the night with a team high 15 points.

Richardson was more than pleased with the efforts of everyone.

“Lindsey Knight really put our hitters in good position tonight with her ball control, and our hitters being smart on their reads,” the coach said.

“I think our juniors bring our team together. With only two seniors and the underclassmen not knowing how to be nervous,” said Richardson of her squad.

Newbury will play Berlin Center Western Reserve in the regional semifinal 6 p.m. at Twinsburg High School.