Erin Small of Hohenfels goes up to bat back a ball from Sigonella's April Coutino, left. Small's efforts were not enough as Sigonella beat Hohenfels, 25-16 and 26-24. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The Alconbury Dragons and defending Division III champion London Central Bobcats each claimed three pool-play victories on Day 1 of the three-day European high school volleyball championships.
Alconbury, playing in the newly created Division IV that embraces the smallest schools in the system, was never pressured, blitzing Ankara 25-7, 25-15; Iceland 25-9, 25-4, and Brussels 25-16 and 25-11.
London Central, which has just one starter from last year’s squad, bounced Marymount International of Rome 25-9, 25-10; Giessen 25-17, 25-5 and Ansbach 21-25, 25-21, 15-8.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said London Central senior captain Stephanie Anderson, the lone starter from the ’03 team, when asked how it felt to be defending a title. “It’s nice that we have a chance to win two years in a row.”
Anderson said that chance depends on her team’s mental and physical state.
“We’ve got to play our best,” she said, “and keep our focus.”
Alconbury coach Lisa Westlake couldn’t agree more. She thinks that coping with a big tournament is all about mental and physical readiness.
“The big test here is being prepared mentally and physically,” she said. “Our girls are so excited about being in a hotel, I tell them that preparation begins the night before we play. They have to focus.”
Westlake, a former University of Oregon and pro league indoor and beach volleyball player, didn’t limit herself to preparing her own squad.
“Menwith Hill hadn’t won a game all season,” she said, “and after they lost their first match today, their coach asked me to speak to them. I told them that in a tournament, everyone starts out even and that you have to leave it all out there.”
The words worked. The Mustangs rebounded to down Incirlik and Lajes in their next two matches to move into the hunt in D-4.
In other action in Division III, fourth-seeded Sigonella dumped top-seeded Baumholder 25-9, 25-20 for its second victory in two tries Thursday.
In Division II, unbeaten and top-seeded Aviano cruised past Mannheim 25-17, 25-17 in its opening game. Second-seeded Vilseck knocked off Naples 25-18, 25-18, while fourth-seeded Black Forest Academy picked up a pair of tough wins — 25-23, 20-25, 18-16 against Bitburg and 25-21, 26-24 against Mannheim
Division I got a big surprise from Frankfurt International School. After downing Kaiserslautern in straight sets to open the day, FIS stunned top-seeded Ramstein 25-20, 25-11. Second-seeded Lakenheath got off to a good start with a 25-11, 25-18 win over Wiesbaden.
Play continues Friday in all divisions and concludes with the semifinals at the five sites being used: Vogelweh, Kaiserslautern High School, Sembach, Miesau and Ramstein’s Southside gym. Games start at 9 a.m., and there is no admission charge.
Saturday, all games move to Vogelweh, with consolation play beginning at 9 a.m. Championship games in each division begin at 11 a.m. and run consecutively every 90 minutes thereafter.
DODDS-Europe girls volleyball championships
Early pool-play results Thursday from the three-day DODDS-Europe high school volleyball tournament at Naples, Italy:
Division I
Frankfurt International School def. Kaiserslautern 25-8, 25-20
Frankfurt International School def. Ramstein 25-20, 25-11
Heidelberg def. Wiesbaden 25-10, 25-11
Lakenheath def. Wiesbaden 25-11, 25-18
Ramstein def. Würzburg 25-17, 25-19
Division II
Vilseck def. Naples 25-18, 25-18
Patch def. AFNORTH 25-10, 25-12
Hanau def. AFNORTH 25-16, 13-25, 15-6
Aviano def. Mannheim 25-17, 25-17
Black Forest Academy def. Bitburg 25-23, 20-25, 18-16
Black Forest Academy def. Mannheim 25-21, 26-24
Bitburg def. SHAPE 25-16, 25-21
Division III
London Central def. Marymount 25-9, 25-10
London Central def. Giessen 25-17, 25-5
American Overseas School of Rome def. Rota 25-12, 25-13
Ansbach def. American Overseas School of Rome 25-3, 25-9
London Central def. Ansbach 21-25, 25-21, 15-9
Baumholder def. Vicenza 25-12, 25-12
Sigonella def. Hohenfels 25-16, 26-24
Hohenfels def. Bamberg 25-18, 25-19
Bamberg def. Vicenza 25-22, 25-13
Sigonella def. Baumholder 25-9, 25-20
Division IV
Ankara def. Iceland 25-22, 9-25, 15-8
Milan def. Lajes 25-22, 25-11
Brussels def. Iceland 25-7, 25-20
Milan def. Menwith Hill 20-25, 25-20, 15-8
Alconbury def. Ankara 25-7, 25-15
Menwith Hill def. Incirlik 26-24, 25-8
Lajes def. Incirlik 17-25, 25-21, 15-7
Alconbury def. Iceland 25-9, 25-4
Milan def. Incirlik 25-9, 25-17
Brussels def. Ankara 25-20, 25-20
Menwith Hill def. Lajes 11-25, 25-22, 15-3
Alconbury def. Brussels 25-16, 25-11
Ankara def. Iceland 25-22, 9-15, 15-8
Mediterranean boys volleyball championships
First-day results Thursday from the boys Mediterranean volleyball championship, which ends Saturday:
Naples def. Vicenza 25-14, 25-9
Aviano def. Ankara 25-21, 20-25, 25-17
Sigonella def. Milan 25-13, 25-21
American Overseas School of Rome def. Incirlik 2514, 25-9
Aviano def. Livorno 25-15, 25-10
Naples def. Marymount International of Rome 25-15, 25-16
Ankara def. Milan 27-25, 25-20
Vicenza def. Incirlik 25-22, 26-28, 25-22
AOSR def. Marymount 25-12, 25-9
Sigonella def. Livorno 25-13, 25-14