Heidelberg, Wiesbaden earn spots
in DODDS-Europe volleyball finals
By Kent Harris, Stars
and Stripes
HEIDELBERG, Germany — Heading into the DODDS-Europe Division I Volleyball
Championships, there was no clear favorite.
During the regular season, just about anyone could beat anyone. And that’s what
happened Friday.
Teams played two games in a round-robin format the first two days, and the top two
survivors weren’t decided until the end.
"This is probably as even as I’ve ever seen Division I," said Wiesbaden
coach Tom Richards, whose team survived the tight play to advance to the finals at 3 p.m.
Saturday at the Sports Arena in Mannheim.
The Warriors will meet Heidelberg, which finished the regular season 5-7.
The Lions got strong play at the net by Megan Bruce to grab the best record in the
seven-team, three-day tournament at 9-3.
Bruce, a 5-foot-11 junior, was dominant against most of the Lions’ opponents. Set
up by the smallest Lion, 5-1 setter Meaghan Perry, Bruce had 16 kills in a split with
Kaiserslautern and followed with eight kills in a 15-4, 15-9 victory over Ramstein Friday.
But Bruce was neutralized by Lakenheath’s Shannon Fotter and Rachel Dougherty in
the Lions’ final match of the evening. Heidelberg needed to win one of two games to
guarantee a spot in the finals. Lakenheath needed a sweep.
Heidelberg’s serving, which had been shaky for much of the day, came to life
against the Lancers to more than make up for the loss of scoring from Bruce.
In fact, the game ended 15-9 on an ace from Ashly Dull.
Lakenheath, whose season was curtailed because of safety concerns following the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks, won the final game behind Fotter’s dominant play at the net,
15-5.
"I don’t think our intensity was there," said Heidelberg coach Rich
Bennett.
The road was harder for Wiesbaden (8-4), which had to defeat Kaiserslautern 15-9 on the
final game of the night to reach the final after the Raiders defeated the Warriors 15-9 to
draw within a game in the standings.
Heidelberg defeated Wiesbaden in five games in the regular season and the teams split
two games Thursday in pool play.
Lakenheath (7-5) will meet three-time defending champ Ramstein (7-5) at 12:30 p.m. for
third.
Division II
Black Forest Academy, the dominant program in Division II, reached the 12:30 p.m.
championship game at Mannheim with a 13-1 round-robin record. Its only defeat was to host
Mannheim. Bitburg (10-4) finished second and will seek revenge for a 15-3, 15-5 defeat it
suffered to BFA Friday.
Mannheim (8-6) and SHAPE (7-7) battle for third at 11 a.m.
Division III
Baumholder, 10-2 in round-robin play, will face Aviano (9-3) in the final at 11 a.m.
Alconbury and Brussels, both 6-5, will meet in the third-place match at 9:30 a.m.
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