Volleyball

The senior outside hitter was instrumental in helping the No. 5 Lions (11-0) capture the Gator Invitational at Reservoir on Saturday. In pool play wins over No. 11 Broadneck, No. 4 Severna Park, Northern-Calvert and No. 1 Arundel - all two-game sweeps - Starr totaled 20 kills and 19 digs to send the Lions through to the semifinal round. In a three-game semifinal win against Northern-Calvert, she finished with seven kills and eight digs as the Lions advanced to the championship round. Going up against No. 14 River Hill, which had won the previous two tournament titles, Dulaney came away with a 25-13, 25-15 win with Starr finishing with nine kills and seven digs.

The senior hitter, a four-year starter, dominated the Class 4A state tournament last week to lead the Bruins to their third straight championship. In Saturday's 25-15, 25-29, 28-26 win over Magruder in the finals, Salvarola had 14 kills and 13 digs - stepping up big late in the third game when the Bruins trailed 18-13. In Wednesday's semifinal win over Urbana, captured in four games, she finished with 14 kills and 17 digs. Salvarola also is a standout softball player and has accepted a scholarship to play that sport at South Florida.

Twenty-seven-old Minju Kim from Seoul, South Korea, found the early races a big yawn, so she and her friend Jieun Yi of Philadelphia stopped by the volleyball field. "For me, it's not that interesting," Kim said. She is visitig Yi, who is originally from Seoul, for a month. It is her first time in the United States. Yi married into a family full of horse racing fans. Today is her second trip to Preakness. She visited all three races last year, and said she perfers the Kentucky Derby for the outfits.

Century volleyball coach Becky Trumbo wonders whether she'll get a hug from her kid brother, Bryan, tonight. It happened the last time their teams played. Becky, 26, was coaching her first season at Century last year, and Bryan, 23, was doing the same at Liberty as their teams were set to play each other. As the coaches and captains met with officials, Becky extended her hand for a routine handshake. Instead, Bryan reeled her in for a big brotherly hug. Gamesmanship?

No. 4 Severna Park jumped on No. 9 Broadneck early and played good defense late to defeat their Anne Arundel County rival, 25-11, 19-25, 25-15, 25-23. Senior Mel Kapelewski led Severna Park, who is undefeated, with 10 kills, while sophomore Sophie Hoekstra chipped in 14 digs and two aces for the Falcons. Last year's team lost no one, and Severna Park looked prime for a run deep into the playoffs. Then the Falcons lost their coach. Enter Tim Dunbar, a teacher at the school for years and the former coach at Bryn Mawr.

1. Arundel (19-1) 2. Seton Keough (18-0) 3. Centennial (18-1) 4. Dulaney (17-1) 5. Bel Air (18-1) 6. Severna Park (14-4) 7. Broadneck (10-5) 8. Glenelg (12-4) 9. Francis Scott Key (14-3) 10. South River (11-5) 11. Winters Mill (10-3) 12. Archbishop Spalding (13-5) 13. Howard (9-8) 14. Atholton (12-5) 15. River Hill (12-4) Other teams considered: Hereford (12-4), Loch Raven (10-7), Mount Hebron (10-5), Perry Hall (13-4), St. Paul's (13-5)

Shannon Patrick, an outside hitter with the River Hill volleyball team, has been named the Gatorade Maryland High School Player of the Year. She and 48 other athletes, representing 48 states and Washington D.C., have received the honor. The 49 winners, who represent a winning combination of excellence on the field and in the classroom, are eligible to win National High School Player of the Year honors to be announced later this month. Patrick, The Sun's Player of the Year, led the Hawks with 417 kills and 154 aces this season.

Ijeoma Igwe had 28 kills and six aces to power Seton Keough over visiting John Carroll in straight sets in girls volleyball Monday. Rachel Robinson added 36 assists for the Gators, who remained undefeated and improved their record to 14-0. The scores were 25-11, 25-12 and 25-20. No. 15 Archbishop Spalding 3, McDonogh 0: Kristen Seeba had 23 kills and 13 digs to lead the Cavaliers (12-4) over the visiting Eagles in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland quarterfinal.

After more than three decades at the pinnacle of collegiate volleyball, Greg Giovanazzi has called it quits. Luckily, the celebrated coach saved his best for last. Giovanazzi has coached at every level, from community college to the U.S. National Team, but he says his most enjoyable experience may have come this past year, when he coached the Comets, an 18-and-under girls club team in Columbia. "It was the complete lack of attitude [that made the Comets special]," Giovanazzi said.