Middle Hitter

Centennial volleyball player Christin Anderson, a middle hitter, made her mark in the sport this season, helping to lead her team to its 14th state 3A championship, but she and her coach, Larry Schofield, both say volleyball was not her first love. "She was a dyed-in-the-wool basketball player," said Schofield. "But she made two giant leaps forward during the offseason while playing club volleyball and attending camps, and she has totally changed. She's now 90 percent a volleyball player and 10 percent basketball."

Centennial volleyball player Christin Anderson, a middle hitter, made her mark in the sport this season, helping to lead her team to its 14th state 3A championship, but she and her coach, Larry Schofield, both say volleyball was not her first love. "She was a dyed-in-the-wool basketball player," said Schofield. "But she made two giant leaps forward during the offseason while playing club volleyball and attending camps, and she has totally changed. She's now 90 percent a volleyball player and 10 percent basketball."

One look at the Institute of Notre Dame's Brooks Webster slamming a volleyball can intimidate a lot of opponents. That happened to Chapelgate yesterday as the 6-foot middle hitter pounded out 20 kills and had 10 blocks to lead the No. 11 Indians to a 25-21, 25-19, 25-11 victory in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference match. "Starting out, we just got a little scared of her from all the rumors," said Chapelgate setter Valerie Pusateri. "We dug her up some, but they use her a lot. She's tall.

When Mount de Sales volleyball coach Kenny Mills saw his team ranked No. 2 in preseason, he was pleased but surprised. "I expected we might be ranked in the top 10, but I was not expecting No. 2," he said. "Instead of looking at it as pressure, we look at it as something we have to live up to." The players were just as surprised. "When they heard about it, they were shocked," Mills said. "The seniors, they're up for the challenge." The Sailors were 3-0 after defeating No. 6 Archbishop Spalding last night in four sets and primed for a run at the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference title.

The Pikesville volleyball team edged Sparrows Point yesterday in five games on the Pointers' home court. The Panthers (4-3) won the first two games, 25-22 and 25-21, then dropped the next two, 20-25 and 21-25, before clinching the victory in the fifth game, 15-8. Senior middle hitter Amanda Madin led the Panthers with 18 kills, and junior outside hitter Gabby Boggs finished with seven. Franklin 3, Milford Mill 0: Senior middle hitter Meghan McDearmon helped lead the Indians (6-1) over the host Millers (4-2)

Arlington Baptist Eagles1996 record: 7-8.Coach: Liz Byers.Top players: Darla Heller, Sr., hitter; Julie Barber, So., setter; Jessi Rider, Sr., hitter.Outlook: The Eagles are very young, but have plenty of potential. They graduated four following last year's strong showing in the AIS B Division, but return Heller (60 aces in 44 games) and feature several other up-and-comers.Beth Tfiloh Warriors1996 record: 7-4.Coach: Margie McClure.Top players: Nina Austerm, So., middle hitter; Alisa Baer, Sr., defense; Edie Meyerson, Sr., setter; Elina Berman, Sr., outside hitter.

BALTIMORE COUNTYArlington Baptist Eagles (11-5)Coach: Liz ByersOutlook: Last year's Association of Independent Schools B Division champs move into the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Division with three starters back -- setters Lori Veasel and Julie Barber and hitter Jocelyn Johnson.Beth Tfiloh Warriors (9-2)Coach: Sonya HowellOutlook: The Warriors may be the team to beat in the IAAM B Division, led by sisters Becky (Soph.) and Nina Auster (Sr.), and setter Lisa Milliman.

Experience was the upper hand at Francis Scott Key last night. North Hagerstown, which has made it to the state tourney three of the last four years in Class 2A, started four seniors to Key's one.The visitors used this advantage to hold off the Eagles in three well-played, hard-fought games, 16-14, 15-11, 15-11, to capture the Class 2A-West region title.North Hagerstown now moves on to the state semifinals, where it will play No. 13 South River at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Essex Community College.

All season, the fourth-ranked Dulaney volleyball team has overachieved despite struggling through a rash of injuries. Last night, the Lions' luck ran out. With four players recently promoted from the Baltimore County-champion JV team in the lineup and without star junior middle hitter Jennifer Wylie, out most of the season with foot problems, Dulaney was swept out of the Class 3A state semifinals at CCBC-Essex by Northern-Calvert County, 15-7, 15-8, 15-11....

Annapolis Panthers1996 record: 9-6.Coach: Karla McMahon.Top players: Jenni Ferris, Sr., setter; Maurie Fisher, Sr., outside hitter; Kammi Cottrell, Sr., middle hitter; Emily Dammeyer, Sr., middle hitter.Outlook: With 11 seniors among the 12 players on the squad, McMahon is enthused as she begins her eighth season as coach. Ferris, who the coach calls "our leader and most versatile player," heads up the seasoned Panthers, along with Fisher, Cottrell and Dammeyer. Dammeyer missed last season with a knee injury after playing well as a freshman and sophomore.

Coach Dave Trumbo's Liberty volleyball team hasn't lost to a Carroll County opponent since 2002. With eight new players on the roster, however, the Lions spent the bulk of the preseason trying to regain their confidence. Trumbo said that the Lions, who are shooting for their eighth straight county title and fourth consecutive trip to the Class 2A state final, "just got blasted" by a couple of the area's stronger teams in the early portion of a recent 12-team play-day at Centennial High School, in which teams faced off for 12-minute intervals.

The word is already out about St. Mary's College freshman middle hitter Rebecca Tursell around the Capital Athletic Conference. "A couple of the teams we've been matched up against, after the first match you can hear the coach yell, `Where's No. 7, find No. 7,' " said Tursell, who was an All-Howard County selection at Glenelg. The 5-foot-10 Tursell has pumped new life into a volleyball program that recorded only six match victories last season and has already bolted to a 15-13 start. Tursell has been a freshman sensation since her first day on the court for St. Mary's, leading the CAC in hitting percentage (.393)

One look at the Institute of Notre Dame's Brooks Webster slamming a volleyball can intimidate a lot of opponents. That happened to Chapelgate yesterday as the 6-foot middle hitter pounded out 20 kills and had 10 blocks to lead the No. 11 Indians to a 25-21, 25-19, 25-11 victory in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference match. "Starting out, we just got a little scared of her from all the rumors," said Chapelgate setter Valerie Pusateri. "We dug her up some, but they use her a lot. She's tall.

The Pikesville volleyball team edged Sparrows Point yesterday in five games on the Pointers' home court. The Panthers (4-3) won the first two games, 25-22 and 25-21, then dropped the next two, 20-25 and 21-25, before clinching the victory in the fifth game, 15-8. Senior middle hitter Amanda Madin led the Panthers with 18 kills, and junior outside hitter Gabby Boggs finished with seven. Franklin 3, Milford Mill 0: Senior middle hitter Meghan McDearmon helped lead the Indians (6-1) over the host Millers (4-2)

In what became a familiar sight in the Class 2A West regional final on Friday, Glenelg's Sarah Tursell elevated her 6-foot-1 frame toward a Tara Stradling set, before sending a helpless volleyball bounding hard into the open court. It was an overwhelming display of power, timing and skill for the senior middle hitter, who helped the No. 2 Gladiators clinch their second straight regional crown with a commanding 19-kill and five-block performance in a four-game win over Centennial. On a team that prides itself on balance and depth, Tursell leads the undefeated Gladiators (18-0)

All season, the fourth-ranked Dulaney volleyball team has overachieved despite struggling through a rash of injuries. Last night, the Lions' luck ran out. With four players recently promoted from the Baltimore County-champion JV team in the lineup and without star junior middle hitter Jennifer Wylie, out most of the season with foot problems, Dulaney was swept out of the Class 3A state semifinals at CCBC-Essex by Northern-Calvert County, 15-7, 15-8, 15-11....

1 Centennial -- What can a team that went 22-1 and won its third straight 3A state championship do for an encore? How about winning a fourth title? To have a chance, the Eagles will have to overcome the loss of All-Metro hitter Carlyn Cangiano and veteran coach Bill Shook. But they appear to have reloaded, not regressed. Former assistant Mike Bossom takes over a team that returns powerful 6-foot-1 middle hitter Krisha Svehla and outside hitters Kelly and Jen West. Centennial also has an experienced setter in Sheri Kujawa.

(All games at CCBC-Catonsville) Tomorrow Class 4A No. 2 Dulaney (19-0) vs. No. 5 Broadneck (19-1) Time: 5 p.m. Outlook: The Lions have gone 39-0 over the past two seasons and are looking for a second straight state title against the first-time finalist Bruins. In Tuesday's semifinals, the Lions took Bowie, 15-13, 17-15, 15-1, and the Bruins beat Gaithersburg, 15-6, 9-15, 15-13, 15-13. Dulaney's outside hitters -- Lindsay Lawson (14 kills in the semifinal) and Veronica Briggs (13), and middle Jen Wylie (13)