Baumholder, Black Forest, Heidelberg
capture DODDS-Europe volleyball titles
By Kent Harris, Stars
and Stripes
Michael Abrams / Stripes
Heidelberg's Megan Bruce spikes the ball past Wiesbaden's Jackie Bowen as Bruce's teammate
Megan Brousseau watches. |
MANNHEIM, Germany — Baumholder, Black Forest Academy and Heidelberg have one thing
in common after Saturday’s DODDS-Europe volleyball championships.
They’re European champions.
Their roads to the title weren’t similar:
- Baumholder got the first trophy, staying unbeaten this season by overpowering Aviano
15-4, 9-15, 15-7, 15-9 in Division III. The Bucs finished second last year.
- Black Forest toppled a scrappy Bitburg team 16-14, 14-16, 16-14, 15-6 to take their
third straight Division II crown.
- Heidelberg capped a strong postseason by downing Wiesbaden 15-13, 15-12, 15-8 to emerge
as the Division I winner. It was the 12th European title for the Lions under coach Rich
Bennett, but first since 1996.
The matchup that drew the most noise from the crowd at the Sports Arena was in Division
II.
Black Forest Academy, with an enrollment of about 250, is a volleyball powerhouse.
DODDS has conducted a Division II tournament for three years and the Falcons have won it
every time.
So it was some consolation to Bitburg coach Bill Mittenzwey that it was close.
"We played them twice during the season and didn’t score more than five
points," the first-year coach said. "There’s just a myth about them."
The myth, according to BFA coach Julie Holwerda, is that students at the school do
nothing but play volleyball. Not true, she says with a smile.
"We only practice four times a week for an hour and a half," she said.
"It’s just raw talent. And they like each other."
Division II tournament MVP Sarah Fowler, whose older sister, Amy, was most valuable
player last year, was strong at the net and set up her teammates for other kills. And
there were plenty to choose from. Five of the team’s six starters are at least 5 feet
8.
"We get along well," said Fowler, who hopes to play volleyball next year at
Asbury College in Kentucky. "I feel very comfortable out there."
Michael Abrams / Stars and Stripes
The Baumholder Bucs celebrate their Division III volleyball championship after defeating
Aviano. |
After three games that could have gone either way, the Falcons used a balanced attack,
including all-tourney players Allyson Woodward and Elly Heinemann, to pull away.
The good news for Bitburg? Six Black Forest Academy players are seniors and the Barons
will lose only two to graduation.
"It is my fervent hope that we’re out here again next year," Mittenzwey
said to Holwerda after the game.
That’s the message that Bennett also gave his Division I champs, who lose no
starters to graduation.
"Most of this season we were looking toward next year, to be honest with
you," he said. Heidelberg finished the regular season 5-7.
Megan Bruce, selected Division I MVP, helped speed up the plan. The 5-11 junior’s
strong play at the net propelled the Lions to the title game and proved too much for the
shorter Warriors.
Wiesbaden did have a few chances, thanks in part to the leaping and spiking of Kendra
Olsen and Nicole Gonzalez. But Heidelberg won the big points.
No team said big better than Baumholder, though. The Bucs and Saints provided the
biggest contrast between teams in the finals. Baumholder overpowered its opponent,
primarily behind the efforts of 5-11 senior Keishan Mercado. Mercado didn’t let
Aviano get into a rhythm, killing rallies with spikes the Saints couldn’t answer.
"When you have a weak return and someone [on your team] who can kill it, it just
demoralizes the other team," Baumholder coach Mike Reilly said.
Although the Saints’ finesse offense, led by 5-10 setter Melissa Fust, was the
envy of several coaches watching on the sidelines, style points didn’t convert on the
scoreboard.
In third-place action, Brussels downed Alconbury 15-12, 11-15, 15-7 in Division III;
SHAPE swept Mannheim 15-13, 15-10 in Division II; and Ramstein topped Lakenheath 15-10,
15-7 in Division I.
Division I
Championship
Heidelberg def. Wiesbaden 15-13, 15-12, 15-8
Third place
Ramstein def. Lakenheath 15-10, 15-7
All-conference—Shannan Fotter (Lake), Sarah Huf (Frankfurt
International), Megan Bruce (Heid), Kendra Olsen (Wies), Nicole Keller (Kaiserslautern),
Brittany Vandagriff (Ram), Rachel Dougherty (Lak), Meagan Perry (Heid), Lorie Nola (Wies)
All-tournament—Bruce (MVP), Fotter, Dougherty, Huf, Keller,
Perry, Olsen, Nicole Gonzalez (Wies)
Division II
Championship
Black Forest Academy def. Bitburg 16-14, 14-16, 16-14, 15-6
Third place
SHAPE def. Mannheim 15-13, 15-10
All-conference—Laura Rivera (AFNORTH), Keri Ihde (Bit), Casey
Kahle (Bit), Rachel Finnemore (BFA), Sarah Fowler (BFA), Elly Heinemann (BFA), Jackie Kirk
(Mann), Virginia Perez (Patch), Paige Rasmussen (Pat), Sara Pollock (Vilseck)
All-tournament—Fowler (MVP), Rivera, Kirk, Ihde, Heinemann,
Natasha Scott (Mann), Allyson Woodward (BFA), Alice Masutu (SHAPE)
Division III
Championship
Baumholder def. Aviano 15-4, 9-15, 15-7, 15-9
Third place
Brussels def. Alconbury 15-12, 11-15, 15-7
All-tournament—Keishan Mercado (Baum, MVP), Anjulie Stanford
(Av), Lauren Brooks (Baum), LaShae Morris (Ansbach), Kathy Gasque (Alc), Allison Harris
(Brus), Melissa Fust (Av), Katie Feterl (Baum)
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