By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, DigitalSports.com
**Click here for previews from the other three districts in the Northern Region!!**
With Woodson gone, the Liberty District figures to be a three-horse
race between Langley, Fairfax and defending champion Stone Bridge.
The Bulldogs were 16-10 last season, but graduated two key starters, first-team all-region setter Lily Vera (679 assists, 200 digs) and second-team all-region middle hitter Sarah Norton (305 kills). Vera signed a scholarship to UNC-Charlotte.
Stone Bridge, though, returns first-team all-region libero Lindsey Gill (425 digs), as well as an emerging vocal leader, all-district junior outside hitter Christine Beckham. Senior setter Amanda Miller hopes to fill the vacancy left with Vera’s graduation.
Coach Jill Raschiatore hopes to
rely on the Bulldogs’ unprecedented depth at every position with its
low turnover this summer. And they are in great position to reach their
five-consecutive district title game.
When the current district alignment changes were being proposed, one
bid — which was voted down — had Stone Bridge joining the Concorde
District. Continued Liberty District placement aside, Raschiatore
decided to play every Concorde team anyway.
“I do think it’s a tough schedule, but I actually wouldn’t mind a
tougher schedule,” said Raschiatore, whose schedule includes all six
Concorde teams, Oakton in the preseason. “The only way we’re going to
really prepare for the postseason is if you see it on a regular basis.
Just the way the region falls, there are definitely some tough teams in
each of the districts, but overall the Concorde District is very
strong. And on any given year, we might face one of them in the
regional tournament.
“I purposely picked those teams. And there are a few others from
different districts that I would’ve liked on the schedule to see
everybody that I think I might see in the postseason if I get that far.”
2007 Northern Region champion Langley joins Stone Bridge in bringing back most of its contributors.
The Saxons graduated only three seniors, but one of whom was first-team all-region outside hitter Logan Sebastian. Eleventh-year coach Sue Shifflett is looking for a pound-the-ball hitter to replace Sebastian.
Senior outside hitter Kathryn Caine and senior outside hitter Lainey LeBlanc are at the top of that list.
But the unequivocal leader of Langley is second-team all-region senior libero Elysse Richardson, who Shifflett described as a “little fireball.”
Last year, the Saxons were 17-7, and were actually rebuilding from the
graduation of two Division-I, all-region players. Expect Langley to be
closer to its 2007 form in 2009.
Fairfax joined the Liberty District over the summer, but lost eight
seniors to graduation. It has a strong freshman and sophomore class,
though, that has a wealth of club experience — an estimated 75-percent
of the Rebels play club volleyball.
Look for senior middle hitter Ann Sung, a standout athlete who came to volleyball late, to take a leadership role both on the court and in the stat column.
Still, third-year Fairfax coach Christine Zanellato admits that her team is still searching for sense of unity.
“This year is mostly trying to reshape the team with new personnel and
kind of figure out how we’re going to work with this group,” she said.
“This group has never played together before.”
If Fairfax hopes to break the five-year trend of Liberty titles
bouncing between Stone Bridge and Langley, the Rebels must gel by mid-
to late-September, according to Zanellato.
McLean went 12-7 in 2008 under coach Steve Stotler, reaching the district semifinals, but only returned one starter. It loses honorable-mention all-region outside hitter Cat Davis, middle back Lea Williams and outside hitter Alex Yensen.
The Highlander junior varsity was 12-2 last season and those girls have
shown improved ball control in preseason scrimmages at the varsity
level. Expect senior libero Maddy Glista to take a vocal leadership role and sophomore Claire Karakozoff, a first-time varsity player, to make significant contributions.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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