by Derek Toney
Broadneck High School needed a fifth game Thursday evening to advance to another state championship game, but the seed was almost literally planted earlier.
Bruins outside hitter Kourtney Salvarola fired a shot that hit off the side of Dulaney’s Maria DiPietro’s face for the final point in the fourth game. The Anne Arundel County school followed with a 6-0 run in the decisive fifth set enroute to a 15-10 decision in a Class 4A semifinal match at the University of Maryland’s Ritchie Coliseum.
For the sixth time this decade, the Bruins will be playing on Championship Saturday, facing Thomas S. Wootton at 2:30 p.m. Wootton swept Eleanor Roosevelt in the other semifinal. Broadneck (20-1) has reached the state Final Four in every year this decade.
The Bruins had to reach deep in its bag of tournament experience, rallying from a 2-1 deficit against the Lions. After being extended only twice during the regular season, Broadneck won its second straight five-set marathon, this time against the Baltimore County champion Lions.
“That’s the mark of a good team,” said Bruins coach Romonzo Beans of Dulaney. “These matches we try to find, but are hard to come by. Now, they’re finding out we’re a good team. They believe now.”
Senior Kerry Anderson had a game-high 16 kills for Broadneck with Salvarola adding 14 kills and 17 digs. Betsy Blanche led Dulaney (17-2) with 13 kills and 13 kills and Emily Gladstone contributed 26 assists.
The Bruins dominated play in the fourth game, scoring 10 straight points, turning a 14-8 advantage into an insurmountable 24-8 cushion. After the Lions stopped the run with consecutive points, Salvarola’s shot reestablished Broadneck’s momentum, then opened game five with a ****.
“I think the last game ending with a **** carried momentum into the fifth game and starting the fifth game with a **** definetely added to it,” said Salvarola, a sophomore outside hitter. “It’s fun.”
“It’s amazing when they grow up mentally,” said Beans. “Physically, she swings like she’s played this her whole life. When you find the confidence in yourself and know it’s not all on your shoulders, you can breathe and have fun. I think she’s actually having fun now.”
The Lions were all smiles after taking game three, but started to turn early in game four. A block by Andeson and sophomore Shelby Greene ignited a five-point run capped by an ace from Salvarola. A stop at net by Sarah Grazlewicz and **** by Blanche helped Dulaney get to within two points, but it would get no closer.
“They got a run and we couldn’t stop them,” said Dulaney coach Cary Lyon, whose team’s 17-game winning streak ended. “They [Dulaney] came together and people didn’t expect us to do what we did. Gosh, we got here. We lost to a good team in Broadneck and gave them a battle.”
Lyon spent most of the season experimenting with different lineup before finding a starting nucleus that carried the Lions to their first Final Four since losing in the 4A title in 2005. Dulaney also had managed through several other distractions.
“This year has been crazy, we’ve have so much happen to our team and we just learn to overcome it and become one unit,” said DiPietro, who had 27 digs and three kills. “We learned to trust our teammates.”
The Lions rallied from a 24-20 deficit in the opener to take the early advantage. Beans said the Bruins got stronger as the match went on.
“I don’t think they fell out of it,” said Beans. “They had to tighten up and execute and go for the ball, stopping expecting some else to get it.”
Now, Broadneck is on the door step of another championship. The Bruins will seek their fourth championship after claiming trophies in 2001, 2002 and 2004.
We’re about playing good ball and they set their own goals,” said Beans. “We talked about this [Ritchie Coliseum] being our house. They felt good about being home.”
Processing your request, Please wait....
