BULLDOGS SWAT BEES
DREAM SEASON ENDS SUDDENLY
By Dom DiPasqua / Staff Writer
Thursday, November 5, 2009
HUDSON – Focused and playing with a sense of urgency, Stow-Munroe Falls upset eighth ranked Brecksville-Broadview Heights in four games here last night in a Division I regional semi-final volleyball match at Ray “Buck” Hyser Gymnasium.
The unexpected defeat sent shock waves through the Bees locker room and their loyal fan base – Lady Bee Nation.
“I think it was the worst match that we played all season. The bottom line was that Stow wanted it more than we did.” Said head coach Rob Cline following a lengthy team meeting. “Unfortunately I think the kids had their bags packed for Dayton and not Hudson.”
Stow, now 14-11 overall sent the Bees packing early with a 25-22 stunner in the opener. The Bulldogs went out to a 7-0 lead before the Lady Bees knew it.
Brecksville, who concluded their second straight outstanding season under Cline at 22-4 overall, finally tied game one at 15 when Olivia “The Big O” Chrzanowski registered a kill from senior setter Jacque “Jaws” Reszler.
Chrzanowski’s block gave the Bees a 16-15 advantage and the red-clads held serve until the Bulldogs tied the fray at 22 – apiece.
Stow got a block from Jackie Close and a kill by Colleen Bonacci sandwiched around a Brecksville hitting error to give them the win they needed to gain match momentum.
“Stow played like they didn’t have a lot to lose. They thought that they were going to get pounded. Then they come out and win game one and that was big for them.” Said Cline. “It just wasn’t there. We didn’t execute our game plan at all.”
Senor Lindsey “Remmy” Remington’s kill gave Brecksville a 9-6 lead in game two. But Stow went on a sizzling 13-4 run to take a 19-13 lead.
The closest that the Bees would come would be when sophomore sensation Abbie “Gail The Whale” Brinkman blocked to make it 23-17 Bulldogs, but Close and Bonacci fired down two kills to give the Dogs a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
“I basically threw the game plan out the window because we couldn’t serve where I wanted us to serve, we couldn’t hit where we needed to hit. And we made way too many defensive lapses.” Cline said. “Our mind-set was that we were not ready to play today and that’s my fault.”
Stow raced out to an 8-2 lead in the third game. But the Bulldogs cheering section began to chant “Overrated!” at the Bees and that proved to be a wake-up call.
Reszlers block tied the game at 17 and the two clubs would go tooth and nail until late in the contest when Remington and Chrzanowaski went off for back-to-back kills on sets from Reszler and a 21-19 lead.
Junior Beckie “The Nigerian Nightmare” Famurewa found a soft spot with a deep tip and Brinkman tallid twice on kills, the last from junior defensive specialist Andrea Green for a 25-21 Brecksville victory.
With their season hanging in the balance the Bees went dead-even with the Bulldogs until it was 7-7 in the fourth set. It was then that the Bees reverted back to the way that they played in the first two games and Stow, despite two successive kills by Chrzanowski, built a 19-13 lead.
With Lady Bee Nation cheering the team on to one last surge that could possible force a deciding fifth game, the Bees rose to the occasion.
Reszlers block brought the Bees to within 20-17. Jaws then set The Big O and Remmy twice for kills and Brecksville was tasting a posssible miraculouis comeback win with the score now 22-20 Stow.
Ashley King ,a 6-1 junior middle hitter, killed on a rebound to narrow the margin to 23-21 Stow, but that was all she wrote as the Hounds managed the matches last two digits to steal the upset victory and spoil the Bees campaign.
“Stow did a good job of tipping over our triple block. We thought that we could execute our defense behind it better. We didn’t.” Cline added. “There was a lot of confusion. I think the noise actually got to our kids here.”
“We had a great season. We won 22 matches, which tied last year.” Said Cline. “But we came up a little short.”
What was the mood like in the Brecksville locker room following the match?
“It was flat. Kind of like the way we played.” Cline said. “We just didn’t do what we do. We didn’t play like we are capable and that’s unfortunate.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COACH KIM -
Best wishes to long-time assistant coach Kim Brocklehurst on her 37th birthday.
OTHER SEMI-FINAL -
Painesville Riverside ousted Wadsworth in four games. The Beavers (24-3) will take on Stow-Munroe Falls on Saturday at 2:00PM for the right to represent Northeast Ohio in the state Final Four at Wright State University.
BEES VS BEE KEEPERS -
Both student cheering sections had a creative touch last night. The Bees had Sarah Kirk and her three trusty comrades dressed-up like Bumble Bees. Stow had seven young men dressed up as exterminators with Bee keeper masks and all the trimmings. That’s the beauty of high school sports.
MEDIA FRENZY -
It takes a regional tournament for the big boys to show up and they did last night. Along press row were reporters from The Plain Dealer (Tim Warszinsky), The Akron Beaccon Journal (Jim Isabella), The Medina Gazette (Brian Dulik) and Record Publishing Company (Tom Chambers).
BAD KARMA -
Sophomore Jessie Scott was injured during pre-match warm-ups when she ran into the bottom of the officials pulpit and sprained her ankle. Scott, who needed an X-Ray refused to leave the gym until after the game. Coming to her rescue was former Bee volleyball mentor Cherly Palidar who made sure that Scott was comfortable and had plenty of ice.
Taking sick between games two and three was senior libero and captain Mel “The Cat” Smith. Smith made it back to action later on, but was far than her usual one hundred percent. It was that kind of night for the Bees.
LAST NIGHTS STARTERS -
BEES -
Smith (L), Brinkman, Chrzanowski, Reszler, Remington, King and Green.
BULLDOGS -
Close, Vilj, Chilinski, Sykora, McDade (L) and Bonacci.
SPECIAL THANKS -
A very special thank you goes out to the Lady Bees, head coach Rob Cline, Lady Bee Nation and the BBHHS administration for allowing yours truly the opportunity to have unlimited range in covering the Bees again this season.
A fond farewell goes out to seniors; Ari Prinzbach, Jacque Reszler, Lindsey Remington and Mel Smith. Thanks so much ladies for all your time over the years and best wishes in the future. You are a class group of people and outstanding volleyball players. I’m so proud to know you!
See You At The Bee Hive!
To contact: Ddipa67834@aol.com.
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