THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT
www.barnstablepatriot.com, November 18, 2017
by Mike Richard
Tough end to great season
BHS girls volleyball playoff run halted by Newton North
Barnstable senior volleyball players.
Left, front to back: Haley Kennedy-Cabral, Carolyn Kenney, and Caroline Brodt. Right, front to back: Mackenzie Connor, Meaghan Wiggin, and Delaney Funk.
It was not the way they expected their season to end.
The defending Division 1 state champion Barnstable girls volleyball team saw its run in the playoffs come to a shocking end with a 3-0 loss to Newton North on Wednesday night at the Division 1 state semifinals at Taunton High School.
The Red Raiders lost in straight sets 25-16, 25-22, 25-22.
It was Newton North which upended Barnstable 3-1 in the 2014 state semifinals en route to the state title that season. Last season, the Red Raiders defeated Newton North in the state championship game, 3-0, although the Tigers beat them during the regular season.
There is no question revenge was on the minds of the Tigers.
Senior Caroline Brodt finished with 29 assists and 17 digs. Riley James (17 kills, 16 digs, 2 aces) and Ingrid Murphy (13 kills, 16 digs) were also standouts.
Last weekend, Barnstable blanked New Bedford 3-0, sweeping straight sets 25-18, 25-8, 25-11. Junior Riley James had 19 kills and 19 digs; classmate Ingrid Murphy had 16 kills, 11 digs and seven aces; and senior Caroline Brodt had 32 assists to go along with three aces and two kills.
Prior to the state semifinal, Barnstable had won an amazing 66 of 67 sets this season, dropping a 23-25 set to Div. 3 finalist Hopkinton in their fourth match of the season.
The Division 1 South title was the eighth straight for the Red Raiders, their 22nd in 23 years, and 23rd overall.
For Barnstable, it was the end of the line for seniors Brodt, Haley Kennedy-Cabral, Carolyn Kenney, Mackenzie Connor, Meaghan Wiggin, and Delaney Funk.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 15, 2017
By Steve Derderian
Tigers end Red Raiders’ drive for third straight state title
Tigers end Red Raiders’ drive for third straight stMIAA State Division I Semi-Final
Barnstable vs Newton North ate title TAUNTON — Even through the disappointment, which naturally brought tears, the Barnstable girls volleyball squad still found a way to high-five, hug, smile and even laugh a little bit following its first and only loss of the season
Sure, it ended the team’s run for a third straight Division 1 state title and 19th in program history, but the Red Raiders never backed down, their intensity never faded and their shoulders didn’t shrug.
Instead, they were simply beaten by the better team — the Newton North Tigers — during Wednesday night’s Division 1 state semifinal at Taunton High School.
“We know that we had to play with heart, and we did that tonight,” said Barnstable senior setter Caroline Brodt, who finished with team-highs of 29 assists and 17 digs in the 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 loss.
Entering Wednesday, Barnstable (22-1) had lost only one set all season, and that was in a 3-1 win over Hopkinton, which advanced to Saturday’s state final with a 3-0 victory over Andover.
Though Barnstable led in the final game just once, Brodt said the feeling of desperation didn’t kick in, “Until the last point of the match because it’s all mental, and you control it.”
“I’m proud of these girls,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco said of his six seniors, who won two state titles during their tenure. “They gave it all they had. I appreciate all that they’ve done.”
Barnstable’s 11 service errors were only part of the problem against Newton North (19-1), which also handed Barnstable its only loss during the 2016 regular season'
The Red Raiders, who beat Newton North in last year’s state title game, defeated the Tigers back on Oct. 6, 3-0. But this year’s first matchup didn’t feature 6-foot-3 junior hitter and setter Ashley Wang.
Wang repeatedly attacked by swinging her long left arm over Barnstable’s defense and providing key blocks on Barnstable’s top hitters, juniors Riley James (17 kills, 16 digs, 2 aces) and Ingrid Murphy (13 kills, 16 digs). James tried to take over the match with her usual hard hits in the second game, but the Tigers countered well and forced 22 total attacking errors.
“They definitely had a very strong attack,” Murphy said. “We prepared for it, but they played a really great game. It definitely gets frustrating when there’s a big block up 24/7.”
Forcing Barnstable to dig out multiple serves and attacks, the Tigers found open spots on the floor with strong hits from Miska Legatova, Olivia Kelly, Julia Lanfear and Hannah Kett. They ripped off the 3-to-4-point runs needed to pull ahead in each game.
“There’s no real game plan, you just have to win long battles,” said Newton North coach Richard Barton, whose team won a 50-second rally to take a 23-18 lead in the third game.
Newton North trailed, 4-1, early in the first game but never trailed again in that game after a 5-5 tie. There were 11 lead changes in the second game, but errants serves and misplaced hits and passes prevented the Red Raiders from pulling together a rally.
“We got no momentum,” Turco said. “We were not creating much of a flow. We needed to do a better job controlling the ball.”
Even without seniors Brodt, Delaney Funk, Haley Kennedy Cabral, Mackenzie Connor, Carolyn Kenney and Meaghan Wiggin, Murphy said this loss will definitely be fuel for next season.
“I feel bad for the seniors,” Murphy said. “It’s definitely going to help motivate us next year.”
“There’s definitely lessons to be learned,” Turco added. “Starting tomorrow let’s move forward.”
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 15, 2017
By Steve Derderian
Barnstable to renew rivalry with Newton North
Photo by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times
HYANNIS — For Barnstable’s girls volleyball team, the road to its multiple state championships has often required a matchup against Newton North.
When the teams meet at 5 p.m. tonight at Taunton High School in the Div. 1 state semifinals, it will mark the sixth straight season they’ve both reached the state tournament and the fifth time in six seasons they’ve met in the final four. The winner will move on to Saturday’s state final to face either Andover or Hopkinton.
“When facing Newton North, you can’t think ahead, you have to think in the present,” longtime Barnstable coach Tom Turco said. “You get down to final four, you’ve got to earn every point. When you get into those situations, you’ve got to be the one that carries the tempo.”
The Red Raiders (22-0) beat Newton North in last year’s final, 25-19, 25-21, 26-24, to win their 18th state title. Barnstable also beat Newton North (18-1) in the 2012 and 2013 state title games.
Still, the Tigers have found past success against the Red Raiders, whose last loss came against Newton North during the 2016 regular season in five sets.
“They’re our toughest competitor,” senior Delaney Funk said of Newton North. “Every point is very hard-fought.”
“We’re not going to hold back with this team,” added Ingrid Murphy, a junior outside hitter.
In the 2014 state semifinals, the Tigers defeated the Red Raiders, 3-1, and went on to win the state title.
“I remember watching that game, and our team was completely down on themselves,” Murphy said. “I just saw the looks on their faces, they were distraught. Even though I wasn’t on the team, I could feel what they were feeling.”
Newton North, which advanced with a 3-0 win over King Philip in the Central/ East Sectional final, gets power spikes from junior outside hitter Miska Legatova.
Chelsea Simmons, a solid server, and Ashley Wang, a 6-foot-3 setter, have also been key for the Tigers. Wang is also a solid blocker, but she missed the Oct. 6 matchup against Barnstable, which won, 25-15, 25-22, 25-15.
“She’s just an all-around really good player and an attack threat that hopefully we’ll be prepared for,” Turco said of Wang, who has signed a letter of intent to play for NCAA Division II Fresno Pacific University in California.
Barnstable, however, can counter with its powerful outside hitters Murphy and junior Riley James, as well as solid defense from the backline.
“Passing determines your level of play,” Turco said. “How well these girls passserve, determines the level of play. We’ve got a two-person serve-receive with Ingrid and Riley, and I’m confident they’ll bring it.”
Turco said though he coaches a “high-energy” team, making hustle plays on defense, like in Saturday’s South Sectional final, can turn up his team’s enthusiasm even higher.
“We believe that any one player can give a group a spark,” Turco said. “They make a dig or two digs that can turn things around.”
Overall, Turco said he hopes the week ends with a state title that would send off seniors Funk, Caroline Brodt, Haley Kennedy Cabral, Mackenzie Connor, Carolyn Kenney, Meaghan Wiggin off with a smile.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 11, 2017
By Matt Goisman
Unbeaten Barnstable sweeps New Bedford to win D-1 South title
Barnstable's players begin the celebration Saturday as Carolyn Kenney's shot finishes off a sweep of New Bedford in the Division I South Championship match.
(Photo by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times)
MARSHFIELD - It took a coin flip to decide the top seed in the Division 1 South girls volleyball tournament, the Barnstable Red Raiders and New Bedford Whalers each going undefeated in the regular season.
When the two teams finally met Saturday in the South finals at Marshfield High School, Barnstable left little doubt which team was superior.
Junior outside hitters Ingrid Murphy and Riley James combined for 35 kills and 30 digs, and No. 1 Barnstable stayed won its eighth consecutive South title with a sweeping 25-18, 25-8, 25-11 victory.
“Our whole team was so ready to go,” Murphy said. “Everybody was ready to play this game. We’ve been ready all week just to get this game and try to win it.”
Barnstable (22-0) will face Central-East champion Newton North in the state semifinals next week. The Red Raiders have swept all but one of their opponents this season, beating Newton North 3-0 in early October.
Murphy added seven aces to her 16 kills and 11 digs, going to the service line for three of Barnstable’s longest scoring runs of the night. Her ace helped give the Raiders a 5-0 lead in the first set, then she served up three aces that, coupled with two kills by James, made it 18-7. Murphy’s tip shot and a New Bedford error gave the Raiders the first set.
Murphy and James play opposite each other in the Barnstable rotation, so one is always in the front row and the other in back. James finished with a team-high 19 kills and 19 digs, tallying back-to-back kills in a seven-point run that pushed the second-set lead to 23-7 in the second set before ending it with another kill.
One of James’ kills finished a long rally in which Barnstable’s defense dug two hard shots from New Bedford (19-1) to go up 19-7 in the second. The Raiders had to just knock the ball back over off the first dig, but the second time Caroline Brodt (32 assists, 3 aces, 2 kills) got off a clean set to James, who crushed the ball to the opposite court, turning and screaming at her teammates on a play that had Barnstable’s fans doing the same from the bleachers.
“Offense wins games, defense wins championships, so that’s definitely the precedent for everything we do,” James said. “We scrimmage a lot in our rotations every practice, and it’s always super competitive. I think in those competitive moments, you’re bound to be scrambling and playing scrappy defense.”
That kind of pass defense, which dug 50 shots and always seemed to have a person in place for tips, blocks and pushes, took New Bedford out of its offense. The Whalers tried to get the ball to tall middle hitters Janice Leao and Neyheymee Mondiere, but Leao finished with eight kills and a block, and Mondiere had just one kill.
“Floor defense is what really changes momentum,” said Barnstable coach Tom Turco. “I’m more of a defensive coach than anything. You can break the will of an opponent by that type of play.”
Moliere and Leao combined for 36 kills against Dartmouth in the semifinals. But without them, the Whalers led for just one point against Barnstable, going up 2-1 in the second set on James’ hitting error before her kill tied it a point later.
“That’s almost the best we can play,” said New Bedford coach Neil Macedo. “That’s one of the better teams I’ve seen in the long time.”
Two Brodt aces helped Barnstable go up 7-2 in the third, then Murphy added four kills in an 8-0 run to go up 23-8. Carolyn Kenney dropped her serve just over the net for the match-winning ace.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 08, 2017
By Matt Goisman
Fired Up: Unbeaten Red Raiders sweep North Attleboro, reach South finals again
Photos by Cape Cod Times, Ron Schloerb
The shouting started during warm-ups for Barnstable’s girls volleyball team. Each Red Raider dug a shot from head coach Tom Turco then yelled at her teammates as she ran to the back of the line.
Barnstable came out fired up for Wednesday’s Division 1 South semifinal, and North Attleboro never stood a chance.
Riley James fired a game-high 20 kills, and the undefeated No. 1 Red Raiders served up 17 aces in a 25-9, 25-10, 25-15 sweep of the No. 4 Rocketeers.
The Red Raiders (21-0) go for their eighth consecutive South Sectional championship Saturday against No. 2 New Bedford, a 3-1 semifinal winner over Dartmouth, at Marshfield High School.
“The girls executed the gameplan really well,” Turco said. “We had to establish our momentum in the match. I thought our serve-receive went really well. Our defense, we made some great digs.”
Tough serving and hard hits from James (3 aces, 8 digs) and Ingrid Murphy (9 kills, 6 aces, 14 digs) have been Barnstable’s calling cards all season. But the Red Raiders did just as much damage with softer tip shots, repeatedly pushing the ball just over the opposing blockers to undefended areas.
James, Murphy, Sophie Strock, Haley Kennedy Cabral and Dorian Funk combined for 11 points on tips.
“Sometimes I’ll even be in the air and (Turco) will say ‘Tip 3,’ so that’s a spot on the court he wants me to tip,” James said. “Tipping is definitely underrated. People will look at big swings and think those are the big kills, but in tight situations it can always come down to tipping. We practice that a lot, and some teams don’t expect it.”
Back-to-back Murphy aces made it 4-0 Barnstable in the first, and James made it 10-1 with a kill until Tori Melanson (3 kills, 1 block) finally returned possession to North Attleboro with a kill. Kezia De La Cruz (2 kills) eventually sent an attempted kill out of bounds to give the Red Raiders the set victory.
James’ hit out of bounds and Melanson’s kill made it 2-0 Rocketeers early in the second set, but James ran off three straight kills to regain the lead, and an ace by Caroline Brodt (6 aces, 28 assists, 7 digs) made it 6-2 Barnstable. A 7-0 run pushed Barnstable’s lead to 16-4, and Brodt’s ace ended the set.
North Attleboro (18-3) led for just three points all match. The Rocketeers struggled to run their offense against Barnstable’s serving, and even when they did get off a clean hitting attempt, players like Delaney Funk (7 digs) or James simply popped the ball back up and went back to hitting.
One second-set sequence saw James take a spike off her shoulder, back up into position as Brodt ran over to set the ball, then smash it over for a kill. In the third set, Delaney Funk got her arms under a powerful cross-court shot from De La Cruz, sending it back over.
“They served us off the court in Game 1 and 2, not giving us enough of a chance to run our offense,” said North Attleboro coach Jeff Crins. “Our two big outsides (De La Cruz and Amelia Murphy) usually have 10-15 kills, and they kept us under five, so that’s a huge compliment to them.”
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 6, 2017
By Steve Derderian
Volleyball Highlights Video by Cape Cod Times. To view, click on image of video above.
Red Raiders win 20th straight in DI Quarters
Intensity has always been crucial for the success of the Barnstable girls volleyball team.
That was evident on the first point Monday when senior libero Delaney Funk made a backward dive on the backline, and senior defensive specialist Mackenzie Connor hit it over the net for a point.
“Intensity is always our main thing, that’s why in the middle we always say, ‘1,2,3 intensity!’ To keep it going,” said Funk, who moved into serve receive for the match.
Top-seeded Barnstable cruised from there, earning a 25-4, 25-12, 25-14 victory over eighth-seeded Brockton in a Div. 1 South Sectional tournament quarterfinal that took about 50 minutes to play.
Barnstable (20-0), the two-time defending D1 state champion, will play host to No. 4 North Attleboro (18-2) in a sectional semifinal at 6 p.m.Wednesday.
The Red Raiders, who also beat Brockton earlier in the year, 3-0, got a match-high 18 kills, 9 digs and 4 aces from Riley James, and 10 kills and 9 digs from fellow junior outside hitter Ingrid Murphy.
James, however, had a tough matchup in front as Brockton’s senior middle hitter Ayanna Griffith, who nearly matches James at 5 feet, 10 inches tall, was tough at the net. Griffith block the first kill attempt by the hard-hitting James, who said she had to adjust.
“We identified that they single block from the middle, so we just tried to see which shots would be open,” James said. “It’s seemed like line hitting line worked a lot because that’s where they weren’t blocking as much.”
The Red Raiders still managed to score 11 straight points, capped by a kill from Murphy, to finish off the first game.
“We got all our hitters involved, and that’s really important going down this stretch,” said 30-year Barnstable coach Tom Turco, whose team has won its sectional tournament every year since 2010. “It was just a total team effort.”
Seniors Caroline Brodt and Haley Kennedy Cabral contributed 39 assists and nine kills, respectively, for the Red Raiders, whose only ostensible struggle was early in the second game when Brockton held leads of 4-2 and 6-4.
But an ace from Funk (8 digs) and a few bad hits by Brockton (12-10) got the Red Raiders back on track.
“It was a big score in the first set, so whenever that happens you know the second set is going to start slowly,” Turco said. “It’s a set to 25, so they were ready to settle down.”
With the crowd on its collective feet, sophomore middle hitter Dorian Funk made a block at the net to end the match, sending Barnstable to the next round.
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT
www.barnstablepatriot.com, November 4, 2017
by Mike Richard
20 Questions: Barnstable High volleyball star Caroline Brodt
If Barnstable senior volleyball player Caroline Brodt ever needs a little inspiration on the court, she doesn’t have to look very far.
She will simply raise her eyes to the banner on the gym wall with the number 3, in honor of her late sister Olivia Brodt – a former Barnstable volleyball standout in her own right – and that’s all that Caroline requires.
“I sometimes hear a voice in my head like, ‘Don’t be upset… live your life. Do what I wasn’t able to do. Go for it,’” Caroline said. “She was my biggest believer in me before I even believed in myself.”
“She always would say to me, ‘Follow your bliss. Do what makes you happy,’” Caroline continued.
Olivia Brodt died this past April 2 at age 20 from a recurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma. She was in the midst of her sophomore year at Babson College. She was an outstanding student-athlete at Barnstable and a role model for many, most importantly for her sister Caroline who was three years her junior.
Prior to the first home game of the season, the Barnstable volleyball team retired Olivia’s uniform number 3. It was Caroline who unveiled the banner on the gym wall.
“Olivia taught me everything to get here, so I’m going to continue to do everything I can to become better because that’s what she would have wanted,” Caroline continued.
One instance where Caroline felt a little divine intervention came last summer when she had an opportunity to take part in a photography internship with Julia Cumes. The experience allowed her to travel to Africa to shoot photos of the great migration.
“(Olivia) really pushed me to look into the photography internship,” Caroline said. “After she passed, the opportunity came up and I felt like my sister had a connection with that. It was amazing. It was good to get away and take it all in.”
Coach Tom Turco, who coached both Brodt sisters, lauded Caroline for the positive energy she brings to the court.
“Caroline is just a terrific player and a great person, and very well-respected by her teammates,” he said. “She carries an incredible amount of energy on the court and that becomes contagious among her teammates.”
Last year, she led the state in assists as a junior and picked up her 1,000th career assist.
“Being the setter, the setter is like a quarterback, so it’s so important to have that energy,” said Turco. “What puts her apart is the energy that she brings to the court.”
20 Questions with Caroline Brodt
Favorite subject: Art, Science
Favorite book: “The Winner Within” by Pat Riley
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite movie: “ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
Favorite TV show: “Man vs. Wild”
Favorite Cape restaurant: Misaki Sushi, Hyannis
Favorite Cape hangout: Ben & Jerry’s
Favorite sports team: USA Volleyball team
Favorite athlete: Shaun White
Favorite ‘pump-up” music: Our “mash-up” run-out music for every home game
Best advice I’ve received: “Create your own opportunities.”
Person I’d most like to meet: Vance Joy, my favorite musician
Hobbies and interests: photography, snowboarding, playing the guitar
Own greatest sports moment: Winning the state volleyball championships in 2015 and 2016
Most inspirational person: My sister, Olivia Brodt
Pregame rituals / superstitions: Before each match, as the team enters the gym, we all hit the top of the door frame. Prior to the match we scream “Intensity,” stomp, and clap.
Bucket list place to visit: Germany
Biggest sports setback or obstacle: Losing my older sister, mentor, and supporter, Olivia, to cancer.
College plans / major: Applying early decision to Rochester Institute of Technology, planning to major in photography.
Advice to young athletes: Play with heart.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, November 01, 2017
By Matt Goisman
Barnstable, Bourne Capture Top Tourney Seeds
Shocking probably nobody, Barnstable girls volleyball received the No. 1 seed in the Division 1 South sectional brackets released Monday by the MIAA. The Red Raiders, winners of the last two D-1 state championships, went 19-0 in the regular season and dropped just one set overall despite playing most of the top programs in the eastern half of Massachusetts.
Bourne is also a No. 1 seed, something that hadn’t happened since 2012. The Canalmen (20-2) have had strong seasons since then, including a run to the Division 3 South championship in 2015, but this year’s team has grown considerably from last year’s, improving its record by seven wins and winning a South Coast Conference title in part thanks to two victories against Case, last year’s D-3 state championship.
Barnstable and Bourne now look to continue their regular season success as they lead seven qualifiers from Cape Cod and the Islands in the postseason.
Bourne’s first match is scheduled for Friday at home against No. 16 Nantucket (7-10) at a time still to be determined. The Whalers finished second in the Cape & Islands League to qualify for the D-3 South tournament in just their second year as a varsity program.
“We’re in playoff mode already,” said Bourne coach Andrew Mather. “Last year, we only had eight, nine kids on the varsity team due to injuries and other circumstances, so I think this team is very tight. The more the game is on the line, the more relaxed they are.”
Barnstable has an automatic bye into the quarterfinals, at a date and time still to be announced. The Old Colony League-champion Red Raiders will face either No. 8 Brockton (11-9) or No. 9 Oliver Ames (11-9), who play Thursday in the first round.
Barnstable swept Brockton 3-0 during the regular season, which also included sweeps of D-1 South qualifier Dartmouth, D-2 South top seed Duxbury and D-1 Central/East top seed Newton North, plus a 3-1 win over 2016 D-2 state champion Hopkinton (now in D-1), among other victories.
“If you want your players to be able to handle stressful and challenging situations during the tournament, you have to schedule teams that will compete at that level,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco said. “We’ve always felt that we would be best prepared for the tournament by seeing the best competition available.”
The Cape’s three entries into the D-2 South tournament, all Atlantic Coast League teams, will all play at home Thursday at 6 p.m. No. 3 Falmouth (15-6, 15-4 MIAA) will host No. 14 Silver Lake (10-10); No. 5 Dennis-Yarmouth (15-5), the ACL champion, will host No. 12 Norwell (12-7); and No. 7 Sandwich (11-7) will host No. 10 Apponequet (12-8), Thursday at 6 p.m.
For Falmouth, that high seed is proof of the team’s turnaround since going 2-16 two years ago. Head coach Ernie Holcomb, a freshman coach that year, began instituting optional Saturday workouts where players could come to work on whatever skills they needed, and he said strong turnout for those workouts meant faster improvement for the underclassmen now leading the varsity.
“It’s a game the kids have fallen in love with,” Holcomb said. “I figured the ones who really wanted to play would come on Saturday, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Wrapping up the D-3 South qualifiers, No. 9 Sturgis East (13-5, 12-5 MIAA), which won the C&I League title, is at No. 8 Coyle-Cassidy (13-5) Friday at 6 p.m. in Taunton. No. 15 Upper Cape (9-9) is at No. 2 Rockland (16-2) on Friday at 5:30 p.Barnstable
Barnstable Finishes Undefeated Season
DUXBURY - In a matchup between the top two girls volleyball teams in the state, the Barnstable Red Raiders prevailed over the Green Dragons 25-11, 25-22, 25-12 on Monday in Duxbury.
Junior Riley James led top-ranked Barnstable (19-0), which dropped just one set all season, with 26 kills, five aces and 15 digs. Classmate Ingrid Murphy added 11 kills at the net to go along with six aces and a match-high 16 digs.
Senior Caroline Brodt sparked the offense with 39 assists while contributing a pair of aces at the service line and 10 digs on defense.
Senior Mackenzie Connor was also key on defense for the Red Raiders, with 15 digs, while classmate Delaney Funk added five digs.
Sophomore Dorian Funk added three blocks and a pair of kills at the net while eighth-grader Teagan James had two kills and three assists and freshman Sophie Strock was also key at the the net.
Senior Haley Kennedy Cabral chipped in with six points at the service line.
Duxbury, ranked No. 2 ranked in the state entering the match, finished the regular season 19-1.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, October 28, 2017
Photo by Brodt Photography
Barnstable Wins Medfield Tournament
Barnstable swept its way through morning pool play en route to its third straight Medfield Invitational Tournament championship.
Barnstable beat Cardinal Spellman (25-20, 25-16), Longmeadow (25-11, 25-11) and Notre Dame (Hingham) 25-12, 25-17 in its opening matches. The Red Raiders then beat Andover (25-17, 25-21), Medfield (25-16, 25-9) and Newton North (25-18, 25-18) to advance to the championship match. Barnstable then swept Hopkinton in two sets, 25-8, 25-18, to clinch the tournament championship.
The Red Raiders travel to Duxbury on Monday.
Barnstable 3, Westboro 0
Senior Night
Caroline Brodt had a memorable performance on Senior Night, finishing with 41 assists and 15 digs, to lead the undefeated Red Raiders past the Rangers, 25-15, 25-15, 25-13, in Hyannis.
Fellow senior Delaney Funk had 17 digs, while classmates Mackenzie Connor and Haley Kennedy Cabral had two digs apiece. Carolyn Kenney and Meaghan Wiggin round out Barnstable’s seniors.
The juniors also kicked in solid performances as Riley James had 27 kills and 14 digs, while Ingrid Murphy contributed 22 kills and a match-high 19 digs.
Eighth-grader Teagan James had four assists and a block for Barnstable (18-0), which competes in the Medfield Tournament on Saturday.
Barnstable 3, Falmouth 0
Junior Riley James struck for 28 kills while scooping up nine digs to lead the Red Raiders over the Clippers in Falmouth, 25-9, 25-8, 25-17.
Junior Ingrid Murphy added eight kills, four aces and seven digs for Barnstable (17-0).
Senior Caroline Brodt spread the offense around with 32 assists while adding four digs defensively.
Senior Delaney Funk had a match-high 14 digs defensively for the Red Raiders while classmates Carolyn Kenney and Mackenzie Connor had four digs each.
Senior Haley Kennedy Cabral chipped in with a pair of kills for Barnstable and senior Meaghan Wiggin had six points at the service line.
Junior Caroline Delinks led Falmouth (14-4) with seven kills and an ace in the third set.
The Clippers got strong all-around play from juniors Abigail and Caiti Pope, senior Madison Lima and senior captains Paige Meade and Natalie Gagnon
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, October 19, 2017
By Chris Lynch
Barnstable 3, Medfield 0
Red Raiders volleyball tops No. 8 Medfield MEDFIELD – Two days after topping second-ranked Andover, Barnstable’s girls volleyball team completed the season sweep of the eighth-ranked Medfield Warriors with a 25-20, 25-8, 25-21 victory Thursday night.
Barnstable (16-0), the two-time defending MIAA Division 1 state champion, started slowly in the first and third games, falling behind, 5-2, in the first and, 5-1, in the third. However, the Red Raiders rallied and claimed the lead each time.
In the second game, the Red Raiders stifled Medfield, which was held to fewer than 10 points in a game for the first time all season. Barnstable got four different players collecting aces en route to scoring 10 of the first 13 points in that game.
Junior Ingrid Murphy, who ended the match with the final spike, led the way with 17 kills, two aces and 19 service points.
Riley James continued her standout junior season with 11 service points and three blocks, while her sister, eighth-grader Teagan James, contributed three points and five digs.
Barnstable will play two of its final three regular season matches on the road, beginning with a trip to Falmouth at 5 p.m. this Monday.
Barnstable 3, Andover 0
Junior Riley James had a match-high 20 kills to go along with three aces and nine digs as the top-ranked Red Raiders bested the No. 2 Golden Warriors, 25-13, 25-17, 25-12 in Andover.
Junior Ingrid Murphy added 16 kills and nine digs as James hit 45 percent to help Barnstable remain undefeated at 15-0. Andover is 13-2.
Senior Caroline Brodt sparked the offense with 30 assists while leading the defense with a match-high 13 digs. Classmate MacKenzie Connor added three aces at the service line while senior Haley Kennedy Cabral had two blocks and senior Delaney Funk had five digs.
Eighth-grader Teagan James chipped in a pair of kills and four assists while sophomore Dorian Funk was strong at the net.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, October 16, 2017
By Matt Goisman
Riley James has 27 kills in Barnstable’s sweep of 2016 state semifinalist Central Catholic
Photo by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times
Barnstable junior outside hitter Riley James received a commemorative volleyball before Monday’s match in honor of recording her 1,000th kill two weeks ago, and promptly tossed it to the top row of the bleachers for safekeeping.
James sent a lot of volleyballs flying into the bleachers, but usually not before they’d bounced off the Central Catholic court or an opposing defender.
James fired a game-high 27 kills and added four aces in the Red Raiders’ 25-12, 25-18, 25-11 sweep of the Central Catholic Raiders at Barnstable High School.
Barnstable (14-0) grabbed a win in its first of three big matches this week. The Red Raiders are at Andover, widely considered a top-five team in the state, today and then Division 2 power Medfield on Thursday.
“It’s a busy week,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco said. “Celebrate all victories. There’s a lot to learn and take from it, and we have to improve. But it’s a win, so that gets us closer to home-field advantage (in the playoffs), which is what we’re looking for.”
Ten seniors graduated off the Central Catholic (7-5) squad that Barnstable swept in the 2016 Division 1 state semifinals, leaving behind an inexperienced squad that couldn’t match Barnstable’s dominant serving and the offensive explosiveness of players like James and Ingrid Murphy (13 kills, 3 aces). Six Barnstable players combined for 15 aces, with Murphy serving up two in a 3-0 opening run in the first set that blossomed into leads of 5-1 and then 13-6.
Murphy and James together put up 11 of those first 13 points, Barnstable eventually winning on one of three aces by Mackenzie Connor. Connor also finished the second set with an ace, the Red Raiders briefly falling behind 5-2 before James drilled a back-row shot to the middle of the court for the tie, then ripped off five kills in a 7-1 run to go up 18-12.
“It took us a few minutes to catch up with the speed of the game,” said Central Catholic coach Gannon Paris. “You make mistakes against a team like this, it’s going to come back.”
The third set saw Barnstable open with five unanswered points -- three off Murphy kills -- and never look back. Central Catholic never got closer than 5-2 in the set, off a combined block by Katie Kirsch (2 kills, 7 blocks) and Sarah Janco (5 kills, 4 blocks).
James tallied 11 points in the last set and ended the match with another kill.
“Just the usual: attack everything,” James said. “We knew that they run to their middles a lot. They have good middle hitters, so we really practiced defense.”
The Raiders’ match was also a “Dig Yellow Night” event, raising over $800 toward supporting an as-yet-undetermined Barnstable family affected by childhood cancer. Barnstable held a similar event last year in honor of 2014 senior Olivia Brodt, who died from complications of cancer earlier this year.
Olivia’s younger sister, Caroline, is a senior setter on the squad this year, recording 32 assists, an ace and a kill against Central Catholic. Her father Craig is an assistant coach.
Barnstable 3, North Quincy 0
Senior Caroline Brodt had a match-high 38 assists, leading the host Red Raiders to a 25-11, 25-14, 25-19 win in North Quincy.
Juniors Ingrid Murphy and Riley James had 17 kills each for Barnstable (13-0), with Murphy serving for four aces and 15 digs defensively, James added 14 digs for the Red Raiders.
Senior Delaney Funk and MacKenzie Connor were strong on defense, with nine and six digs, respectively.
North Quincy is 9-4.
Barnstable 3, Dartmouth 0
Junior Riley James had 22 kills while classmate Ingrid Murphy had 11 as the Red Raiders clinched their 18th straight Old Colony League title with a 25-15, 25-15, 25-12 win in North Dartmouth.
James added seven digs to her play at the net for Barnstable (12-0, 4-0 OCL) while Murphy had three aces at the service line and five digs.
Eighth-grader Teagan James had a big night for the Red Raiders with 26 assists, five aces and five digs. Senior Caroline Brodt chipped in with seven assists in the first set while classmate Delaney Funk had six digs.
VOLLEYHALL CLASSIC
Barnstable High School (Hyannis, MA) is the first back-to-back champion of the VolleyHall Classic as they finish the 2017 campaign undefeated.
Barnstable won the inaugural VolleyHall Classic in 2013 and won their second tournament title in 2016. The 2017 win capped a grueling 12-hour day.
Celebrating its fifth year, The Spalding VolleyHall Classic featured 24 of the top girls high school teams from throughout the Northeast including state champions from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and Washington D.C.
Source: VolleyHall Classic Site
Barnstable Girls Volleyball wins 2017 Spalding VolleyHall Classic at AIC
The Barnstable girls volleyball team went undefeated down the stretch Monday afternoon at American International College, with the Red Raiders coming away with the win in the fifth annual Spalding VolleyHall Classic.
The 2017 tournament featured 24 of the top girls volleyball programs in the northeast region — including state champions from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, New York and Washington D.C.
Four Western Mass. programs took part in the tournament — the Amherst Hurricanes, Longmeadow Lancers, Frontier Red Hawks and Minnechaug Falcons.
Here is the full list of participating teams: Amherst (MA) Barnstable (MA) Bishop Feehan (MA) Bristol Eastern (CT) Case (MA) Central Catholic (MA) Coventry (RI) Farmington (CT) Frontier (MA) Greely (ME) Hollis/Brookline (NH) Hopkinton (MA) Longmeadow (MA) Medway (MA) Minnechaug (MA) Mount Saint Charles Academy (RI) Newton North (MA) Notre Dame Academy of Hingham (MA) Scarborough (ME) Scarsdale (NY) Simsbury (CT) Southington (CT) St. John’s (DC) Westborough (MA)
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, October 7, 2017
By Geoff Converse, Contributing Writer
Barnstable shuts down Newton North
HYANNIS — Over the past five years it appears that the secret to victory when Barnstable and the Newton North volleyball teams tangle is that the home team gets the win.
Playing before a near capacity crowd at Barnstable’s gym, the Red Raiders kept their record unblemished with a 3-0 defeat of a perennial powerhouse that also entered the tilt with a perfect 10-0 record.
Leading the way for the Raiders (11-0) was all-everything junior standout Riley James and another talented junior, Ingrid Murphy. The pair dominated the Barnstable scoring with ferocious kills throughout the contest.
“I thought we were aggressive tonight,” said Tigers head coach Richard Barton. “But the aggression that those two players show when they hit the ball is impressive.”
It was James who put the exclamation point on the win when she scorched a rocket cross-court to finish off the 25-15, 25-22, 25-15 victory.
“This match was really big for us,” James said. “It was a rematch of last year’s state final (which the Raiders won). We knew what our game plan was and we executed really well.”
As impressive as James and Murphy were, Barnstable’s ability to handle Newton North serves and then make an inordinate number of defensive digs to keep points alive, were major reasons the Raiders overcame any deficits they may have incurred.
After falling behind 16-12 in the middle contest, a pair of Murphy kills and three service points by Mackenzie Connor narrowed the gap and then Murphy ran off four straight service points to bring the Raiders back from a 19-18 deficit to a 22-19 advantage. The teams traded points the rest of game until James blasted another kill to ice that win.
“Our defensive plays were outstanding and we made a number of great digs,” said Barnstable head coach Tom Turco. “Newton North is a very good volleyball team. It was a hard-fought match by both sides but I felt we were the more aggressive team on the floor and that was the difference.”
“This match was really big for us. It was a rematch of last year’s state final. We knew what our game plan was and we executed really well.” —Barnstable junior Riley James
BOSTON GLOBE
www.bostonglobe.com, October 7, 2017
By Logan Mullen, Globe Correspondent
Barnstable girls' volleyball sweeps Newton North, again
The nonleague tilt Friday afternoon between the Barnstable girls' volleyball team, the defending state champion, and visiting Newton North, their opponent in that Division 1 final, had been circled on the calendar for months.
And reminiscent of the state title match in June, the unbeaten Red Raiders swept North, 3-0, and handed the Tigers (9-1) their first loss.
And if there was a single player that could steal the show in a No. 1-vs.-No. 2 matchup, it was Barnstable junior hitter Riley James.
Her 28th kill set the school’s career record of 1,035, held by Stephanie Bristol (2005-08). James finished with 30, raising her career total to 1,037.
“It’s certainly a great accomplishment, and Riley will be the first one to tell you she’s had an excellent [team around her],” said Barnstable coach Tom Turco. “Credit to Riley and credit to the entire team, it’s a terrific accomplishment”
And it was in that fashion that Barnstable (11-0) earned the win. Caroline Brodt contributed 37 assists, and Ingrid Murphy added 12 digs with 10 kills.
Barnstable won the sets, 25-15, 25-22, and 25-15
“Everybody played a significant role,” said Turco. “Kids came off the bench in a really competitive match . . . and each stepped up in their own way.”
And it was in that fashion that Barnstable (11-0) earned the win. Caroline Brodt contributed 37 assists, and Ingrid Murphy added 12 digs with 10 kills.
Barnstable won the sets, 25-15, 25-22, and 25-15 “Everybody played a significant role,” said Turco. “Kids came off the bench in a really competitive match . . . and each stepped up in their own way.”
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT
www.barnstablepatriot.com, October 6, 2017
by Mike Richard
Female bonding: Barnstable’s Riley James, Sara Donehey earn MIAA Awards
Barnstable Coach Tom Turco, Riley James, Sara Donehey, and MIAA representative Jim Peters
(Photo by Mike Richard)
When Riley James first came to Barnstable High School, she got to know Sara Donehey, who was the manager of the Red Raiders volleyball team.
Almost immediately, the two young ladies created a very special bond through the sport.
“It’s been great to have her as a friend,” said Riley, a junior standout on the squad. “We have a great connection on the court, she knows so much about volleyball. We often each lunch together in the cafeteria, so we’ve really developed a closeness through volleyball.”
A few years back, Riley volunteered with Sara’s Special Olympics volleyball team, the Cape Cod Champs, and an even closer friendship was formed.
On Wednesday evening, prior to the Barnstable volleyball game with Bridgewater-Raynham, Riley and Sara were both honored by the Mass Interscholastic Athletics Association with the prestigious Educational Athletic Achievement Award, presented by MIAA assistant director Jim Peters.
Riley was honored after her essay won a national contest, coming on the heels of her being names the 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year for 2017 for the state of Massachusetts. Her $10,000 winnings from the national essay contest were donated to the Massachusetts Special Olympics, which sponsors Sara’s team.
“The MIAA’s primary mission is to prepare our student athletes for lifelong learning,” said Peters, who noted that the five pillars of the organization consist of wellness, sportsmanship, leadership, community service and coach’s education. “Riley was nominated to our office because we became aware of her contributions through leadership and community service, and this award is in honor of that,” Peters added.
The essay which Riley wrote explained her involvement with the volunteer volleyball program and how much it has enriched her life, as well as her friend Sara’s.
“I just tried to write what it meant to me to volunteer with the organization and how much it has impacted my life and the athlete’s lives,” she said.
According to Sara’s mom Kelli Donehey, her daughter first became interested in volleyball through varsity coach Tom Turco, who was Sara’s adaptive physical education teacher beginning in kindergarten.
Eventually, Riley became involved in the Special Olympics program through her seventh-grade history teacher Jen Reilly, who is a coach with the Champs. Once she met Sara, the two created an immediate connection and Riley became her unified partner on the court.
“Sara played with the Cape Cod Champs and Riley knew one of the coaches, so she recruited Riley to play with the Champs,” said Kelli Donehey. “Sara just idolizes and worships Riley.”
Sara has served as manager of the team for the past seven years and, although she has already graduated from Barnstable High School, she still attends the 18 to 22-year old transition program through the school.
“She prefers the freshman team because they let her play and practice with them,” said her mom Kelli, noting that the varsity team play is a bit advanced for Sara’s style of play. Just the same, she keeps the clock at varsity matches and fetches the balls in practice.
“It’s been a wonderful experience for Sara,” said her mom, who also noted that Sara played basketball and ran track, and in the spring, she manages the boys’ volleyball team.
In addition, Sara also plays in a Special Olympics flag football league on a team coached by her dad Bob.
It was through that experience as a unified partner that Riley summed up her feelings for the program, which resonated so well with the essay judges awarding her the national top prize.
“I can honestly say that these Special Olympians make an immediate and positive impact on everyone that they meet in our community,” Riley’s essay read. “The Cape Cod Champs are not in it for the wins and losses. They are welcoming, supportive, accepting and inclusive. They show others how important it is to belong to something and what amazing things a group of people can accomplish when they all work together.”
Sara shyly blushed upon receiving the award, mentioning that she was “very happy to get it.”
And her eyes sparkled when her friend Riley’s name was mentioned.
“She’s just great,” Sara said with a wide smile.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, October 4, 2017
By Steve Derderian; Photos by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times
After receiving MIAA award, Barnstable junior Riley James reaches 1,000 varsity kills
|
|
|
Riley James |
Riley James celebrates with her Barnstable teammates after passing the 1,000
kill mark during the Red Raiders' victory
over
Bridgewater-Raynham
|
MIAA Assistant Director Jim Peters presented the MIAA Educational Athletics Achievement Awards for Community Service to Riley James (left) and Barnstable Team Manager Sara Donehey |
Postgame Interview YouTube Video
It’s not often a player receives a standing ovation on two separate occasions on the same night.
But that’s just what happened to Barnstable junior outside hitter Riley James on Wednesday evening as she got the 14 kills she needed to become the second player in Barnstable girls volleyball history to reach 1,000 varsity kills, helping the Red Raiders (10-0, 3-0 Old Colony League) clinch a postseason tournament spot with a 25-6, 25-5, 25-11 OCL win over the Bridgewater-Raynham Trojans.
But before the match, MIAA assistant director Jim Peters presented the MIAA Educational Athletics Achievement Awards for Community Service to James for her work with Cape Cod Champs, a local organization of Special Olympics Massachusetts. Earlier this year, James wrote an essay about her experiences with the organization and won $10,000 in the Gatorade/Play it Forward Spotlight Grant.
Barnstable team manager Sara Donehey, who is part of the Champs program, also received the award.
“It was really special to be surrounded by such great teammates,” said James, who finished with 21 kills and five digs. “You can’t play volleyball without everybody behind you.
“I’ve known Sara for a long time. It was really nice to have her get the honor too. I’ve been able to play with her for a long time, and she loves volleyball, and it’s really how I got into special Olympics.”
“To see these players recognized is something we hold in high regard,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco added.
James joins Stephanie Bristol ’08 and former boys standout Scott Sawyer ’16 as the only players in school history to reach the milestone. Soon her name will join those two on a banner inside Barnstable’s gym recognizing those with 1,000 assists and 1,000 kills.
“She’s my biggest role model,” said James’ sister Teagan James, an eighth-grade setter for the Red Raiders, who had two kills and three digs. “It’s crazy to see her reach such an important milestone.”
But she didn’t reach the milestone with one of her traditional spikes, where she loops around the upper-left side, receives a perfectly-placed set and slams it to the other side with authority.
Instead, the milestone kill came from midcourt third hit on the left side as senior libero Delaney Funk (four digs) played a misfired pass from the back line to James, who swung her long right arm and hit the ball to the opposite side, where B-R’s Hannah Rideout got a hand on it, but it fell to the ground, giving Barnstable a 21-5 lead in the second game.
“Sometimes when the pass is off, we turn those into good attacks,” said Turco, who’s in his 30th year coaching the Red Raiders. “Riley has great court awareness. She knows where the defense is, she knows where the open spots are. We’re proud of her.”
“We practice those a lot. I just wanted to make sure it goes over,” Riley added.
Turco called a timeout for the celebration as James high-fived Turco, received the ball, ran over to her parents where she tossed the ball to them and gave them each a hug.
“They’ve helped me through so much,” Riley said of her parents. “They’ve always been there throughout my volleyball career and driven me to every practice so I’m really thankful for them.”
Barnstable, which hosts last year’s Div. 1 state finalist Newton North at 5 p.m. Friday, also got 13 kills, six aces and three digs from junior outside hitter Ingrid Murphy, 36 assists and four aces from Caroline Brodt, four digs from Mackenzie Connor and six kills from Haley Kennedy Cabral.
Barnstable 3, Brockton 0
Junior Riley James had 14 kills and is now 14 shy of reaching 1,000 total on varsity as the Red Raiders cruised past the Boxers, 25-5, 25-11, 25-11, to remain undefeated in Brockton.
James also had a match-high 13 digs, plus four aces, for Barnstable, which got a match-high 16 kills along with nine digs and three aces from James’ classmate Ingrid Murphy.
Senior setter Caroline Brodt led the Red Raiders (9-0) with 34 assists, while senior Haley Kennedy Cabral and freshman Sophie Strock had six and four kills, respectively.
Seniors Delaney Funk (7 digs) and Mackenzie Connor (3 digs) were also solid defensively for Barnstable, which hosts Bridgewater-Raynham in an Old Colony League showdown at 5 p.m. tonight.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 29, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable 3, Dennis-Yarmouth 0
Junior Riley James had a big night at the net, coming away with a match-high 23 kills to lead the Red Raiders over the Dolphins, 25-16, 25-17, 25-18, in South Yarmouth.
James also had six digs as defending Div. 1 state champion Barnstable remained undefeated, at 8-0.
Junior Ingrid Murphy added 12 kills at the net for the Red Raiders, to go along with seven digs, while freshman Sophie Strock chipped in five kills.
Senior Caroline Brodt sparked the offense with 32 assists and aiding the defense with seven digs, and senior Delaney Funk led the back line with 10 digs. Teagan James contributed five assists for Barnstable.
Sophomore Josie Deluga led Dennis-Yarmouth (5-4) with 17 assists and three aces, while senior captain Abbey Criser had 13 kills, 11 digs and three aces and senior captain Taylor Deluga had 24 service receptions, 12 digs and an ace.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 26, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable 3, Medfield 0
Junior Riley James had 17 kills and 12 digs to drive the undefeated Red Raiders past the Warriors, 25-23, 25-19, 25-13, in Hyannis.
Also on Tuesday, James was selected as the most recent Massachusetts Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, one week after senior teammate Caroline Brodt (34 assists, three aces, seven digs) won the same honor.
Barnstable (7-0) also got 17 kills, two aces and 11 digs from junior Ingrid Murphy, while seniors Delaney Funk and Mackenzie Connor contributed six and five digs, respectively.
Eighth-grader Teagan James came off the bench and contributed five assists for Barnstable, which dropped Medfield’s record to 6-2.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 22, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable 3, Case 0
The Red Raiders continue to knock off top opponents, this time downing the defending Div. 3 state champion Cardinals, 25-7, 25-11, 25-17, in Hyannis.
Undefeated Barnstable (6-0), the defending Div. 1 state champions, beat the defending Div. 2 champion Hopkinton, 3-1, earlier this week. Case, which fell to Bourne (7-0) on Monday, drops to 5-2.
Junior Riley James led the Red Raiders’ offense with 17 kills while adding six digs defensively. Classmate Ingrid Murphy added 14 kills and 10 digs on the defensive side.
Senior Caroline Brodt was key at setter, finishing with 42 assists, while adding a pair of aces at the service line.
Senior Haley Kennedy Cabral had a season high nine kills for Barnstable, while sophomore Dorian Funk chipped in with two kills.
Senior Mackenzie Connor was strong defensively for the Red Raiders, with six digs while adding 12 service points, and senior Delaney Funk added 10 digs.
Barnstable hosts Medfield (5-0), one of the top ranked teams in the state, on Tuesday.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 20, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable 3, Dartmouth 0
The Red Raiders followed up a win over defending Div. 2 champion Hopkinton on Tuesday with a victory over the Indians on Wednesday in the Old Colony League opener for both in Hyannis.
Junior Riley James struck for 14 kills, added five aces and contributed nine digs defensively as defending Div. 1 champion Barnstable (5-0, 1-0 OCL) won, 25-12, 25-13, 25-17. Junior Ingrid Murphy added 13 kills, a pair of aces and 11 digs defensively for the Red Raiders, who host the defending Div. 3 champion Case on Friday. Dartmouth is 3-3, 0-1 in the league.
Senior Caroline Brodt spread the Barnstable offense around, with 25 assists, while scooping up a match-high 11 digs. Senior Delaney Funk added 10 digs defensively to go along with a pair of aces, while classmate Haley Kennedy Cabral chipped in with three aces.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 19, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable tops defending D2 state champion Hopkinton
HOPKINTON – The Barnstable girls volleyball squad dropped its first set of the season on Tuesday evening, but promptly swept the next three, remaining undefeated with a 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-16 win over Hopkinton.
In a match between the defending Div. 1 champion Red Raiders and the defending Div. 2 champion Hillers, Barnstable came out on top, improving to 4-0 while Hopkinton is now 4-2. The Red Raiders also won last year’s contest over the Hillers in four sets.
Junior Riley James led the offense with 38 kills while adding 18 digs defensively for Barnstable. Senior libero Delaney Funk had “an awesome match,” according to Barnstable coach Tom Turco, sparking the defense with 18 digs.
Junior Ingrid Murphy was strong overall, finishing with 17 kills, a pair of aces, and 13 digs while senior setter Caroline Brodt had a match-high 48 assists to go along with 14 points at the service line and 14 digs defensively.
Senior MacKenzie Connor and freshman Sophie Strock were also essential defensively for the Red Raiders, with six and three digs, respectively, as senior Haley Kennedy Cabral chipped in with a pair of aces and eighth-grader Teagan James came off the bench to add four assists.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 13, 2017
Photos by Brodt Photography
Barnstable 3, Bridgewater-Raynham 0
Juniors Riley James and Ingrid Murphy combined for 21 kills as the Red Raiders swept the Trojans in Bridgewater, 25-7, 25-9, 25-6.
James led Barnstable (3-0) with 13 kills while Murphy added nine. Both juniors knocked down three aces at the service line.
Senior setter Caroline Brodt paced the offense with 27 assists while striking for 18 service points, including six aces, to go along with nine digs defensively.
Junior Madelyn Murphy added 10 points at line while junior Olivia Berler and senior Delaney Funk had four digs each and senior MacKenzie Connor was also strong on defense for the Red Raiders
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 12, 2017
By Matt Goisman;
Photos by Ron Schloerb, Cape Cod Times
Relentless Red Raiders come out flying, sweep Cougars
|
Riley James sets up a shot in front of Barnstable teammate
Delaney Funk. |
Riley James of Barnstable sets up a shot against Notre Dame Academy. |
Caroline Brodt and Dorian Funk of Barnstable block a shot back at Carly Pattison of Notre Dame Academy. |
HYANNIS — Notre Dame Academy simply couldn’t handle the explosiveness of Barnstable outside hitters Riley James and Ingrid Murphy.
The junior duo rocketed so many kills to open areas and off would-be defenders, a battle of two of the best programs in the state turned into a fairly one-sided match.
James recorded 18 kills, Murphy had 15, and the Red Raiders swept the Cougars 25-18, 25-7, 25-17 on Tuesday.
“We wanted to be on attack the entire game,” James said. “Serve aggressively, hit everything that we can, find open spots on the court and never let up.”
Barnstable (2-0), which has won the last two Division 1 state championships, never trailed against NDA (1-1), which has reached at least the Division 2 state semifinals each of the past four seasons, with titles in 2013 and 2015.
The Red Raiders’ defense, paced by James with 11 digs and Murphy with eight, held the Cougars to just one run of three consecutive points. The Red Raiders pulled away in the first and second sets with exactly the kind of long scoring runs they never allowed NDA.
Murphy crushed two kills and Haley Kennedy Cabral (four kills, four aces) added two aces in a six-point streak that made it 15-6 Barnstable in the first set, then Sophie Strock tipped a ball over the net and Madelyn Murphy drilled an ace in another six-point run to go up 24-17 before a Cougars serve out of bounds ended the set.
“I know exactly what I get when I come here: I get the best that the state has to offer,” said NDA coach Joshua Shepherd. “We’re just trying to figure out what might work and could work. We tried a couple different things, and Barnstable’s better.”
Five different Raiders scored in a 5-0 run early in the second set. James and Ingrid Murphy (five aces) each tallied a kill in a 6-0 run that later made it 15-3, and Barnstable cruised from there, with Murphy firing off three aces in a row before James won it with another kill.
Seven Barnstable errors kept NDA within four points for most of the third set, but Murphy sandwiched a tip and then a kill around two Kennedy Cabral aces to go up 20-12. The Red Raiders finished the sweep on a Madelyn Murphy ace, her third and the team’s 14th of the night.
Setter Caroline Brodt tallied 39 kills and added two aces.
“We’re serving for free balls and aces. We want to attack from the service line,” said Barnstable coach Tom Turco. “I thought they did a lot of things right. We have to work on the things that’ll make us better.”
THE BARNSTABLE PATRIOT
www.barnstablepatriot.com, September 16, 2017
by Mike Richard
BHS grad, athlete Olivia Brodt remembered at number retirement ceremony
|
Caroline Brodt with the BHS Banner bearing the retired uniform number of her late sister, Olivia.
(Photo by Mike Richard) |
Barnstable High School gracefully retired No. 3 in memory of standout volleyball player Olivia Brodt, and then her sister Caroline went on to rack up some very impressive numbers of her own.
On September 8, prior to their season-opening match against Dennis-Yarmouth, the Barnstable volleyball team retired the uniform number of the 2015 Barnstable graduate.
Olivia Brodt died April 2 at age 20 from a recurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma.
She was in the midst of her sophomore year at Babson College. “She was just an incredible student-athlete and a great person,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco said of Olivia, a captain of the 2014 team. “She was a very positive person, well-rounded, one of the top students in her class. She was a leader on the court.”
During last Friday’s 25-14, 25-8, 25-8 victory over Dennis-Yarmouth, Olivia’s sister Caroline played with a fire that embodied the spirit of her sister. She led the way with an amazing 42 assists, as well as six aces and three kills to lead the sweep.
“People were asking me, ‘How could you play a game right after that ceremony,’” Caroline said, looking back on the opening game. “I had the extra strength and support that helped me play through that game.” ″
(Olivia) really taught me everything to get here, so I’m going to continue to do everything I can to become better because that’s what she would have wanted,” she continued.
The two sisters were three years apart and Caroline was a freshman during Olivia’s senior season. Ironically, it was the only year since 2010 that Barnstable did not win a state title, losing out in the state semifinals to eventual state champion Newton North.
Just the same, that season Olivia set the school record for assists in one season with 772. The record was eclipsed last season by her sister Caroline, who had 899 for the season.
“The thing I think about when I think of Olivia was how positive a person she was,” Turco said. “She always, always, throughout everything, looked for that silver lining; that good in everything. She looked for the good in people, she looked for the good in tough situations.”
While at Barnstable High, Olivia was at the top of her graduating class and served as National Honor Society president. She was also a member of Art Honor Society, and served as a Student Council Officer, was a Student Envoy and also participated on the swim team.
“I think she was an incredible role model and showed the type of player who played with heart and really embodied that,” said Caroline.”
Olivia was also very active outside of school, studying dance and theater at Beth Walsh Dance Center for 15 years and ballet at the Cape Conservatory for six years. She was a member of the Youth Ministry Board at Our Lady of Victory Church and a lifeguard for the town of Barnstable. ″
(Volleyball) was the big passion we shared together along with dance, theater, swimming,” said Caroline. “It was one of those things we really connected with. We would go from volleyball practice to dance, or from swimming to dance. She was older so she had her license and would drive me.”
Volleyball was a sport enjoyed by their entire family. Their parents, Craig and Brenda, met while at Green Mountain College in Vermont participating on a club volleyball team. Craig served as an assistant coach with Turco at Barnstable in 2000, and has returned to the same position this fall.
“You wouldn’t think of an older sister wanting her little sister on the team,” Caroline said, “but she would always be looking out for my best interest at heart and she knew that I wanted to be on the team with her.”
In the summertime, the sisters would also travel to volleyball camps where they continued to hone their skills.
“We would go to like 10 volleyball camps in a summer, overnights,” Caroline said. “It was great for her because she got to see the colleges. We’d go from one to the next one to the next one. Then when we got home, we’d be peppering the backyard, going to beach volleyball, going to more camps.”
After graduation, Olivia was attending Babson College and had completed her first volleyball season when she was stricken in April 2016 with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. She missed her fall semester for cancer treatments.
According to her obituary, following a year of treatment Olivia was cleared and rebuilding her life. Then, after only three weeks back in college, she experienced vertigo and extreme headaches. This ultimately lead to an untreatable diagnosis of Leptomeningeal disease as a result of her earlier cancer diagnosis.
“She went into remission and there were some real positive reports,” Turco said. “She was given the OK to go back to school in the spring semester and things were real optimistic. Then she got re-diagnosed.”
Despite a valiant struggle, Olivia died last spring.
Prior to the start of the 2017 volleyball season, it was Turco’s decision to retire Olivia’s number in her memory. During a stirring ceremony, Caroline unveiled the banner which will now hang permanently in the Barnstable gymnasium.
“I think the big thing I took away after we played our first game was that Olivia has impacted not only me as a volleyball player, but everyone in Barnstable,” said Caroline.
Barnstable retires Brodt's number, tops D-Y
|
HYANNIS – The Barnstable Red Raiders girls volleyball team rode the emotions of the pregame ceremony, which honored former setter Olivia Brodt, to defeat the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins, 25-14, 25-8, 25-8, on Friday afternoon.
Barnstable retired Brodt’s number and unfurled a banner in her honor before its season opener in front of a crowd estimated at 350. Brodt was diagnosed with cancer in April 2016 and died a year later from complications at age 20.
“It was definitely a special night,” Barnstable coach Tom Turco said. “It was a tribute that was fitting for Olivia. She was a terrific person. To honor her and retire her number was emotional.”
Junior Riley James led the Red Raiders’ offense with 21 kills while knocking down two aces and picking up 13 digs. Classmate Ingrid Murphy was not far behind James, striking for 20 kills while adding nine digs.
Senior setter and captain Caroline Brodt paced the offense with 42 assists while hitting for six aces, and senior libero and captain Delaney Funk added nine digs.
Senior captain Abbey Criser led Dennis-Yarmouth (0-2) with 11 kills and 15 digs while senior captain Taylor Deluga had seven digs and 18 service receptions. Sophomore Josie Deluga added 19 assists, an ace and seven digs while senior captain Anna Kowalski had four kills and junior Tarra Coppinger had two kills.
|
OLIVIA BRODT CEREMONY
September 8, 2017
Barnstable High School Volleyball
to honor the memory of former player OLIVIA BRODT at banner ceremony
On Friday, September 8th, Barnstable High School Volleyball will be retiring the number of former Red Raider Olivia Brodt '15, who lost her battle with cancer in April 2017 at the age of 20. There will be a ceremony at approximately 4:00 P.M., prior to the Red Raiders first home game of the season vs. Dennis-Yarmouth to honor Brodt, an MIAA Division I State Champion and All State player. A banner will be permanently hung in her memory in the BHS gymnasium. Olivia valiantly fought cancer (Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma) from her diagnosis in April 2016 until her passing a year later. She will be remembered as an inspiration to her teammates, coaches, and the entire BHS community. All are invited to attend.
Olivia Ceremony Pamphlet
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, September 2, 2017
By Steve Derderian
Sporting traditional tie-dye shirts, Barnstable hosts annual Play Day
HYANNIS — Simply put, Saturday was a long day of volleyball at Barnstable High School.
For the three-time defending MIAA Division 1 state champion Barnstable Red Raiders, that’s just the way they like it.
Lasting from 8 a.m. to around 4 p.m., the Red Raiders hosted their ninth annual Barnstable Play Day, bringing in six Cape teams and nine off-Cape teams to compete in seven 40-minute scrimmages.
With unlimited timeouts, longtime Barnstable coach Tom Turco said the matches offer a great chance to teach and evaluate.
“It’s just a long day, and every team that plays is really good,” said Turco, the winningest high school girls volleyball coach in Massachusetts history. “You’re being pushed all the time, you don’t get a break from that.”
Dennis-Yarmouth, Falmouth, Nantucket, St. John Paul II, Sandwich and Sturgis East were the remaining local teams while 2016 Division 2 state champion Hopkinton and 2016 Division 3 state runner-up Frontier Regional were also in the mix along with Brockton, Cardinal Spellman, Duxbury, Hendrick Hudson (New York), Longmeadow, Plymouth North and Medfield.
Barnstable, which has won 18 state titles, certainly likes to mix it up during these scrimmages, sticking to the tradition of wearing tie-dye shirts for these preseason matchups.
However, the Red Raiders were mainly focused on competition, starting with perhaps their stiffest challenge right off the bat — facing last year’s D2 champs.
“What we saw from them was that they’re good, they’re really good,” Turco said of Hopkinton, which hosts Barnstable on Sept. 19. “Good to see them play that well against us instead of going up there and playing them and then finding out. We have our work cut out for us, that’s for sure.”
Turco said he got the idea for the Play Day back in the mid 1990s, when the team used to travel four hours to Darien, Connecticut, to play in a similar style preseason event.
“We told them we’re going to take their format, and we’ve invited them up here a couple times,” Turco said. “It’s great, you get a lot of questions answered.”
Though Turco still has some evaluating to do, he was particularly impressed with the play of Mackenzie Connor, one of six senior co-captains.
Connor said though the team didn’t have a perfect record through the Play Day, she’s confident that the group’s offseason conditioning will pay off this season.
“It makes us really tired, and we have to keep working when we’re tired,” Connor said. “We’re going to have to work hard to get where we want to go. I have faith in our team.”
D-Y, which went 18-3 last year with a D2 South sectional semifinal appearance, also has had a successful offseason, beating Barnstable in three sets in the championship of the Hyannis Youth & Community Center Girls High School Summer Volleyball League.
Saturday’s tough competition offered an early preview of the regular season, particularly for the Dolphins, who have one of the toughest schedules in the area to open the season.
The Dolphins open at home Wednesday against last year’s D2 state finalist Notre Dame (Hingham) before visiting Barnstable on Friday.
“We’re trying to get to a more elite level where we’re competitive,” said D-Y coach Dru Sisson, whose team graduated just one senior last season. “I think we’re rolling into this season pretty seamlessly.”
Barnstable, which met D-Y in the final match Saturday, also gets back to regular-season action Wednesday when it hosts Central Catholic at 6 p.m. JV start is set for 5 p.m.
CAPE COD TIMES
www.capecodtimes.com, August 15, 2017
Barnstable Volleyball Honored
Barnstable's girls volleyball team has won the 2016-17 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award. The award, started in 1992-93, recognizes teams that maintain a 3.30 team grade point average on a 4.0 scale, or a 4.10 GPA on a 5.0 scale.
"Barnstable, along with Longmeadow High School and Mahar Regional High School, were the only Massachusetts teams honored," Barnstable coach Tom Turco said. "This is the fifth year in a row that Barnstable has received this recognition."
Barnstable, the two-time defending Division 1 state champion, begins its title defense when preseason opens August 24.
More Information on AVCA Team Academic Award...
https://www.avca.org/awards/avca-team-academic-award.html
AVCA Team Academic Award Recipients: https://www.avca.org/awards/2016-2017-avca-team-academic-award-recipients.html |