Salem Observer : volleyball

Salem battles top-ranked Spaulding before falling in fi ve games

Salem Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:50:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Dan Young said he believes if his Salem High School girls volleyball team had been allowed to continue to battle Spaulding for a few more hours, the score would have been deadlocked.

Unfortunately for Young and the Blue Devils, the match ended after five games.

Salem lost a back-and-forth Division I semifinalround contest, 3-2, against top-seeded Spaulding on Wednesday, Nov. 4, ending its season with a 17-4 record.

The No. 4 Blue Devils took the first game, 26-24; fell in the second, 25-18; but bounced back with a 25-21 victory in the third frame. They were one more game victory from returning to the state title match for the first time since 2007.

Defending champion Spaulding responded with a run of its own, winning game four, 25-20, and cruising in the decisive fifth frame with a 15-4 decision.

“Whoever jumped out early in the game tended to win,” said Young. “It was all about runs, and unfortunately theirs came at the end, and we weren’t able to get the chance to respond.”

Junior middle hitter Melissa Ouellet posted a team-high 13 kills to go along with nine blocks, while Sarah Scott dished out 29 assists in the middle of the offense.

Kina Wilbur-Kamien’s effort was critical from the service line; she earned 18 service points while also playing stellar defense. Senior Erica Begin managed seven kills during her final match at Salem.

“With our team, we were so all over the place that we relied on different people at different times to carry us,” said Young. “Then there were times no one carried us, and that’s when Spaulding won. I’ve never had a team where game to game so many different people led us.”

Salem graduates captains Courtney Wright, Nicole Boucher, Erica Tilton and Begin, as well as Wilbur- Kamien, Alyssa Burnham, Jess Theriault and Olivia Connors. While the loss of those players leaves holes, Young said his team remains among the elite teams because of the returning talent.

Last year the Blue Devils were eliminated in the semifinals in five games, but Young said this year was different. “When we lost a year ago, we were tired,” said Young. “We weren’t tired this year. We started the game with a missed serve, and before we knew what was going on it was 6-0. We couldn’t really get going.”

After midseason switches, Salem rolls, faces champs

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:38:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Pinkerton Academy had no problem disposing of Salem during the regular season. What a difference a month makes.

The Blue Devils girls volleyball team avenged a 3-0 loss on Sept. 26 by knocking the Astros out of the Division I tournament on Saturday, Oct. 31, with a 3-1 victory to advance to the state semifinals.

Salem played its most complete match of the year, flying high and hitting hard to jump out to an early lead while grabbing the first two games by 25- 21 and 25-13 scores. Pinkerton responded in the third game, holding off a late SHS charge to win, 27-25.

But the final game of the match belonged to Salem, which won, 25-17, thanks in large part to strong play at the net by Melissa Ouellet, Erica Begin, Courtney Wright and a host of Blue Devils.

Ouellet had nine kills, Wright added eight, and Begin delivered seven for Salem, which has now reeled off eight straight victories after making midseason positional changes to address inconsistencies.

“They have come a long way,” said Pinkerton head coach Roger Konstant. “They pounded the ball at us all night long. That was the difference.”

Erica Tilton produced a season-high 17 digs, while Wright and Steph Long each tallied nine. Sarah Scott dished 30 assists in the win.

As a reward for their quarterfinal- round victory, the Blue Devils meet top-seeded Spaulding, which eased past Salem with a straight-sets victory in the regular season. The match was scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Spaulding has yet to lose a game in its first two playoff matches.

Salem’s head coach, Dan Young, said his team has been playing at its highest level during its playoff run.

“That was by far the best we’ve play this year,” said Young. “They’ve been progressing, and I hope we haven’t peaked too soon. It was not a clean game, but the plays that weren’t perfect, we adjusted and were able to move on as well as we have done this year.”

Salem fell in the semifinals last year after winning the previous two state championships. Spaulding won the D-I championship last year, and Young knows his team needs a tiptop game to dethrone the champions.

“We have to prepare, and we have to play aggressive,” said Young. “They’re a hard-hitting team, so if we don’t come with a high energy level, they’ll just keep coming at us.”

Salem High School responds to challenge, beats Timberlane in finals

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:31:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

For the time being at least, the only sure things in life remain death, taxes and, of course, Salem High School’s domination of New Hampshire boys volleyball.

The undefeated Blue Devils won a sixth consecutive Division-I state championship following a 3-1 victory against Timberlane on Friday, Oct. 30, at Pinkerton Academy.

Despite being a team that had lost just 14 games during a 111-match winning streak, complacency was never an issue entering the contest with the Owls.

Indeed, Salem dominated during the first game. Following a powerful Jason Kinney kill, the score was 16-1. The Blue Devils won the game, 25- 5, and head coach EJ Perry said he witnessed a level of play he had never seen.

“That (game) was by far the best any of my teams have ever played,” said Perry. “Some people were doubting us, saying that we were beatable, and I told them we had to go out there and show that it wasn’t the case.”

After Salem won the second game, 25-20, the Owls erased a late three-point deficit to win game three, 25-23.

Following Salem’s high energy level during the first game, some Blue Devils said the closer second and third games were a result of the adrenaline wearing off.

“We did come down a little, but the second we lost (game three), we bounced right back,” said Daniel Tiner. And how. The Blue Devils rolled in game four, 25-10, to secure the title.

More than three hours prior to game time, the Salem bus pulled up and the team walked through the hallways of Pinkerton Academy, reacquainting themselves with the building Perry called his second home.

“We got here so early, and we were on fire right when we came out,” said Tiner, a senior who collected 20 kills, 14 service points and four aces. “We were so amped, and they couldn’t handle us.”

Kinney recorded 21 kills to complement his 10 blocks. Justin O’Brien managed 13 service points, and Chris Barnes delivered his second-highest career total when he dished out 53 assists.

Those seniors, along with Matthew Les, Patrick Sheehy, Jared Scali, Kevin Delfosse, Kyle Ruffen, Joseph Trovato and Chris DeMarco, depart with perfect records.

And next season’s boys volleyball landscape figures to change slightly in other ways, too.

Perry said he hopes at least three more teams join Division I, maybe even squads from Massachusetts. Further, the Blue Devils won’t begin their title defense until spring 2011, when volleyball becomes a spring sport.

“When you’re on a roll, you always want to play. I wish we could play tomorrow,” said Perry. “The level of play has climbed, and we want it to continue to do so. As long as they work hard in the offseason, we will reload.”

While Timberlane proved a worthy adversary, head coach John Dube said his team’s slow start set the tone for what became another link in the never-broken chain of wins for Salem.

“Any team is beatable, but that’s not a team you can play down against,” said Dube. “Once they smell blood, forget it.”

SHS grows closer while tackling roadblock of inconsistency

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:14:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

For the Salem girls volleyball team, chemistry wasn’t an elective, it was a requirement.

Head coach Dan Young said his squad has faced a variety of hurdles, including position changes due to inconsistent play, that have brought the squad closer together.

“This team has been through a lot on and off the court, and despite that they have stuck together better than any team I have had,” said Young. “Chemistry has been forced upon us.”

The Blue Devils continued on their path to the playoffs with a straight-set victory over visiting Trinity on Monday, Oct. 19, to improve to 12-3.

Sarah Scott delivered a 12- assist match. The junior setter led the way during the third game, as Salem took a 10-0 advantage behind her service attack.

Senior captain Courtney Wright added four kills, while Melissa Ouellet chipped in five kills and three blocks. Despite its impressive record, Salem has so far proved vulnerable to the top Division I teams.

Spaulding, Londonderry and Bishop Guertin, the three teams ahead of the locals in the standings, have beaten the Blue Devils.

Though his team won its first five matches, Young was unhappy with his athletes’ play. As a result the coach moved Nicole Boucher from outside hitter to middle hitter and swapped Kerry White to the outside.

“We’ve made a lot of adjustments, and we’re starting to see the fruits of that,” said Young. “The consistency that wasn’t there is with us now … We are getting over (the mistakes) a lot better. We’ve made sure that it doesn’t affect us on the next play.”

Another difference-maker in Salem’s recent play has been Steph Long, a key contributor off the bench. Young said the outside hitter’s passing and defensive abilities allow him, in essence, to bring a starter off the bench.

The postseason opens Wednesday, Oct. 28, with the preliminary round. Salem concludes its regular season on Friday, Oct. 23, with a match against Merrimack that could decide the No. 4 seed in the playoffs.

Inevitably, Salem boys roll to 100th straight victory

Salem Editor — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:18:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Like most matches along the way, there was never any doubt.

The Salem boys volleyball team notched its 100th consecutive victory on Thursday, Sept. 17, in dominating fashion, reaching the milestone with a straight-set win over visiting Mascenic High School. In six years of varsity competition, the school has never lost.

“This is the greatest achievement that we have had so far,” said senior right-side hitter Jason Kinney. “Five is a lot of championships to win, but 100-0 almost never happens.” It was a streak that almost didn’t reach double digits – let alone triple digits – when Mascenic pushed the Blue Devils to the brink six years ago.

In a back-and-forth match, Mascenic forced Salem to five games, and in a fifth game that is supposed to end at 15 points, the Blue Devils fought for a 28- 26 victory.

“I always look back and say, ‘Wow,’” said Salem head coach EJ Perry. “It almost didn’t even start. We built on that win, kept it rolling, and that was what turned us into greatness.”

That match was one of the few times Salem was challenged; the Blue Devils posted a 300-11 record in game scores during the 100 victories.

In the weeks leading up to the 100th win, Perry pushed hard to pull fans into the bleachers at Davis Gymnasium. More than 500 in attended, many with signs, face paint and light-up devil horns on their heads.

Perry, also the Salem hoops coach, said the crowd rivaled those at a raucous basketball game.

“Occasionally you feel the pressure of the streak,” said senior Dan Tiner. “But when you have a crowd like we had tonight behind us, there’s no pressure.”

Salem scored six unanswered points to open the match before pushing the lead to as high as 18 – at 22-4 – before settling for a 25-8 win. In the second game, the Blue Devils led, 3-2, before scoring 13 of the next 15 points while subbing for the majority of its starters.

Game three was Salem’s most dominant effort. With Kinney and then Pat Sheehy serving, the Blue Devils reeled off 13 consecutive points to open up a 17-2 lead that stretched to 24-5. Alex Gomes served for the monumental win.

But Mascenic called a timeout, and after the teams broke their huddles, Gomes served the ball toward the back of the court, where first-year player Lucas Moore kicked the ball and walked off the court, giving the Blue Devils the 25-5 win, and victory No. 100.

“It didn’t really matter to us (being defeated for Salem’s 100th win),” said Mascenic head coach Tyler Bergeron, who said the kick was not planned in the huddle, and that he talked to his young player about it afterwards. “We knew they were a good team, and we wanted to see what we could throw at them.”

It certainly was not the first time Bergeron faced the Salem onslaught. He played for Mascenic, graduating in 2008.

“They’re so hard-hitting,” said Bergeron. “I have never seen anything like that.”

Tiner led the attack, pounding home 14 kills and adding four aces in limited playing time, though it was Kinney who had the best overall evening for Salem.

The senior had 11 kills, five blocks, nine service points and five aces on the evening, while Barnes added 21 assists and Gomes chipped in with 11 helpers.

“It was almost like another championship, maybe even a little better,” said Tiner. “Winning a state title is big, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. It blew my mind.”

Perry said the dedication of his players has maintained the streak; the players, of course, say the coaching staff deserves the credit.

Without question, the depth of the roster each and every year is a key to the program’s unprecedented success.

“If you’re going to be a great team, your first team has to be the best team in the state, and your second team has to be the second-best team in the state,” said Perry. “I think we have that.”

Though the competition in New Hampshire is limited because the sport is still relatively new, Perry sees expansion in the near future – and success for Salem regardless of the foe.

“We’ll play anyone,” said Perry. “I would put this team up against anyone in New England.”

Salem girls, despite inconsistent play, own perfect record

Salem Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:02:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Despite some early-season fluctuations, the Salem girls volleyball team has been steady enough to win.

The Blue Devils earned their second consecutive Division I victory to open the season, posting a straight-set victory over visiting Dover on Friday, Sept. 11.

In taking the opening game, 25-6, the Blue Devils looked like the team that won two state titles in the last three years.

Both remaining games were close during the middle portions before SHS pulled away to take each, 25-15.

“We play up at times and look like the best team in the world, but then we play back down again,” said head coach Dan Young. “We’re just trying to maintain. They have the ability.”

Senior captains Nicole Boucher and Courtney Wright led the charge against Dover, with Boucher notching six kills and Wright contributing five.

Junior setter Sarah Scott led the passing with 14 assists, while senior Alyssa Burnham was next with nine helpers. Young lost a key group of seniors from last year’s semifinalists, including Amanda Saab and Becca Weiss.

“The best way for us to replace them is to not try to replace them,” said Young. “We had a group of seniors that we relied so heavily on. When they didn’t play to their peak, the team didn’t play well. This year we need to all play level, and maybe we have four girls who combined can be better than one Amanda Saab.”

Young said nearly every player on the roster will see time on the floor, and he expects them to contribute when they do.

Jen Bujnowski is a shining early-season example for Young. On the floor for limited action against Dover, she managed two critical blocks.

“Effort-wise, this has been the best senior class I have had,” said Young, who added he expects a steadier performance as the season continues. “It’s been a roller coaster at times since we started.”

Salem High boys volleyball secures 94th, 95th straight wins

Salem Editor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:21:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

EJ Perry is concerned about a win streak, but not the big one, the one that’s fast approaching triple digits.

The Salem High School boys volleyball coach said as his team pushes closer to its 100th straight victory, he focuses on a smaller, but important, goal.

“I don’t want the players to feel pressure as the winning streak continues, but it’s a natural occurrence,” said Perry. “We try to stress to the players that all we want on every given night is a onegame winning streak.”

With straight-set wins against Pinkerton and Souhegan to open the year, the Blue Devils ran their streak to 95 games. If all goes according to plan, Salem reaches the century mark on Thursday, Sept. 17, in its home gym.

Right-side hitter Jason Kinney is one of the players Perry relies on heavily, after he averaged 14 kills per match in 2008 and was named to the All-State first team.

Kinney led the attack against Pinkerton. Salem controlled the net with Dan Tiner and Corey Forrest each spiking nine kills and earning five blocks in front of what Perry called one of the biggest opening-day crowds he has seen; more than 500 fans attended.

The Blue Devils feature a stellar passing attack, led by libero CJ DeMarco, who Perry said is the best passer in the state, and Chris Barnes, who averaged more than 27 assists per match last year. Tiner, DeMarco and Barnes, all seniors, share captaincy.

SHS is loaded with seniors but also features players whom Perry expects to impact the team in their first year. Senior middle hitter Joe Travato and sophomore Jonathan Klecan figure to see significant playing time.

Because of the program’s success – the Blue Devils have never lost – Perry said his team always has a target on its back.

“We don’t overlook anybody,” said Perry. “Fans are not here to congratulate you on win 94, but rather they want to cheer when that streak is broken.”

Salem’s mentor said his goal is to sell out Davis Gymnasium on the night his team shoots for its 100th win against Mascenic. He hopes to create an electric atmosphere. “One hundred wins would be remarkable,” said Perry. “I often ask my players if they have ever won a game of anything 100 straight times. The answer is no.”

Game notes
Against Pinkerton, DeMarco, with nine digs, and classmate Justin O’Brien, with seven, keyed the defense.

Joe Gallant, Jared Scali and Kyle Ruffen all played well, said Perry, rotating at the middle spot.

Facing Souhegan, Tiner delivered 15 kills, Travato added nine, Ari Larson contributed seven, and Scali collected six.

Ruffen and Pat Sheehy paced the team in blocks with six each.

Barnes led the team with 24 assists, while Alex Gomes chipped in nine assists and four aces.

Klecan added a fine all-around game with four assists, four digs, three blocks and five service points.

Salem girls volleyball team's search for third straight crown derailed in state semis

Salem Editor — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:44:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

For two games, the Salem High School girls volleyball team played like two-time defending state champions.

It was the other three games against Spaulding that proved to be the problem for the Blue Devils, who were eliminated, 22-25, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23 and 10-15.

After falling behind 2-0 in the Division I semifinal match on Nov. 5, Salem climbed back to force a decisive fifth game, but Spaulding won the final game to end the Blue Devils’ hopes for a third consecutive title.

Salem’s head coach, Dan Young, said his team’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit was one of the reasons the Blue Devils came up short in the fifth game.

“They didn’t want their season to end like that,” said Young. “I think the emotion (of the comeback) left us a little drained at the end.”

After dropping a closely contested first game in the match, Salem looked flat in the early stages of the second game, trailing by as many as 13 to fall behind 2-0.

Spaulding, which handed Salem one of its two regular-season losses in October, appeared to be cruising to a straight-set win, taking an 18-15 lead in the third game.

But the Blue Devils, led by strong net play from Amanda Saab, won the game after Young made a switch in his rotational strategy.

“After the second game, I realized that I wasn’t going to lose with Amanda Saab on the bench,” said Young. “She’s known as a basketball player, but she’s really turned herself into a volleyball player.”

Saab finished the evening with five blocks and a team-high 18 kills to help get her team back in the match.

Salem lost its 19-13 lead in the fourth game, as Spaulding stormed back to tie the score at 23-23, but after the Blue Devils won a lengthy point to take a one-point lead, Becca Weiss notched a kill to force the deciding game.

Though the teams traded points throughout the early part of the fifth game, Spaulding pulled away for the win and went on to defeat top-seeded Pinkerton Academy to take the D-I title.

“We gave them a few too many chances,” said Young, who said the previous years in the finals weren’t a factor this year. “Every group is new. The experience is what you make it, and we were a different team then.”

Sophomore setter Sarah Scott, who transferred to Salem this year from Wisconsin, racked up 47 assists in the losing cause for the Blue Devils, who will likely be expected to go deep in the postseason again next year.

“This senior class taught the younger players a lot,” said Young, whose team graduates five seniors. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Salem boys volleyball, win streak intact, takes another title

Salem Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:12:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

If you’ve been to enough physics classes, you’ve probably faced the age-old question: what happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force.

It’s a trick question. Salem is both the immovable object – perched firmly atop the Division I boys volleyball standings for five years running – and the unstoppable force.

Just ask its latest title game victim, Timberlane, which was haunted in straight sets – 25-19, 25-18 and 25-13 – during their Halloween loss to the Blue Devils on Friday, Oct. 31.

And it gets scarier for Timberlane and the rest of the Granite State volleyball landscape. SHS returns six of eight starters.

“It was like the first time for most of these guys, and they want more,” said Salem coach EJ Perry. “That’s why they were so excited, because we had so many guys contribute. Last year, some of the (D-I runner-up) Keene players said it was all Dan Kinney. You can’t say that about this team ... You can’t single out one player.”

That makes some wonder when, if ever, Salem will fall.

“I think it was actually pretty close tonight, and we pushed them well, but we are talking about Salem here,” said Timberlane coach John Duba. “You have to have talent to be able to play with this team.”

Talent alone won’t bring down the Blue Devils, conceded Duba.

In fact, not one team since New Hampshire instituted varsity boys volleyball five years ago has been able to produce the proper formula.

Salem has won every contest in which it has competed and, with its latest triumph, now maintains a 93-match winning streak, 24 more than the previous national record.

“We’re here. We’re still standing,” said Perry. “We’re like that boxer … ‘OK, you’ve given us your best shot, now here we come.’”

That was never more evident than in the first game against Timberlane With his team down, 14-11, Perry called a timeout for one reason.

“It was for Jason (Kinney). At that point I don’t think he had a kill, and I pulled him aside and said, ‘I don’t want to hear any excuses about being an underclassmen, you need to turn from a junior into a senior, and you need to do it right now,’” said Perry.

Kinney finished the match with 14 kills and six blocks, and the result never again seemed in doubt. Meme Okeke added 15 kills and junior Dan Tiner and sophomore Joe Gallant contributed 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

“You know, you’ve got four guys with double-digit kills, it’s awfully hard to get scored against,” said Perry, who now had seven state titles in five years – five volleyball and the last two Class L basketball championships. But he said he only steers the ship.

“The players do all the paddling,” he said. “The guys in the past have said it’s a standard they don’t want to break.

“That’s one of the things that was most exciting about this team … is there’s no connection to the first championship. These guys were on their own, and that’s why I’ve said all along they’re the best team I’ve had,” added Perry. “I tried to leave it on the back burner, but I did let them know that they carried that weight, and if they did screw up, that’s the story.”

There was no problem this year and maybe not for the foreseeable future, which is why senior captain Tim Sullivan admitted, after four years of winning and celebrating, he’s not sure what to do with himself next year.

“I’m probably going to try to stay in high school and come back,” he said. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than play for this team.”

Being an integral cog on a squad that knows nothing but dominance is, after all, contagious. The reasons for the continued success are simple, added Sullivan.

“We train so hard. We go double sessions all summer. We go hard three hours a day, six days a week, and we play as one unit,” he said.

And Perry gave every player on the team an opportunity to contribute throughout the season. That elite list includes Sullivan’s co-captain, Sean Stewart, and his senior classmates Jesse Forrest and Michael Sapochetti; juniors Justin O’Brien, Chris Barnes, Jared Scali, Kevin Delfosse, CJ DeMarco, Matthew Les, Kyle Ruffen and Patrick Sheehy; and sophomore Corey Forrest.

Improvement necessary, says coach, but Salem girls volleyball team ‘have a chance’

Salem Editor — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:48:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

When two-time defending state champion Salem traveled to upstart Goffstown – in the midst of its finest season ever – both coaches agreed the contest provided a fine late-season litmus test.

At the end of three tightly contested games, Salem was still on top, but Goffstown had closed the gap.

After defeating the hosts, 25-22, 25-18 and 25-18, the Lady Blue Devils improved their record to 12-2, and the Lady Grizzlies dropped to 10-4.

“They’ve improved a lot. Matt (Leonard) has done a great job with them … I think they’ve got all the pieces to be very successful, and they’re young,” said Salem coach Dan Young of a Goffstown squad that’s already doubled its previous programbest win total. “They’re a tough team that has a chance to win some playoff games, and I don’t think they would be upsets. I mean, what are they, 10-4? What more could you ask for?”

In each of the three games, the Lady Grizzlies were tied, 15- 15, before Salem’s experience helped the visitors pull away. It’s that prowess in tight games, said Leonard, that his team must grasp before Goffstown finds itself among the Division I elite.

“(Salem) walked over us in years past. They’re obviously a great team, they’re two-time defending state champs, they play tough defense, and (Young) always brings up great hitters. It’s like a factory over there,” said Leonard. “Tonight we played one of our best matches of the year, and the good news is we still have room left for improvement. But right now, I’m not sure we’re there yet.

“We still haven’t done anything in the playoffs,” he continued. “We’ve made the playoffs the last three seasons, so this will be our fourth in a row, but we still need to get that first playoff win before we’re competitive for anything.”

The Lady Blue Devils, on the other hand, are getting healthy at the right time, and Young said Salem’s remaining schedule – against sub-.500 Manchester Central, Trinity, Keene and Merrimack – allows his squad to work on fundamentals heading into the postseason.

“We need to clean a lot of stuff up … I think our passing has gotten a lot better, but I don’t think we’re playing particularly well in all facets of the game,” said Young. “I think we’re playing better now than we were last year at this time. We’re on schedule right now to have a chance.”

Salem closes the season at Merrimack on Friday, Oct. 24.

Salem High School boys volleyball team keeps dominating foes

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:12:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The Blue Devils added four more victories to increase their national record winning streak to 90.

By improving their season record to 16-0, the locals secured the top spot in this year’s Division I boys volleyball playoffs.

As if there were any doubt. On Oct. 7, Salem traveled to Mascenic Regional High School and defeated the hosts, 3-0.

Two days later, SHS welcomed Souhegan to town for Senior Night and again won three straight. The opponent was different – but the result the same – on Saturday, Oct. 11, when the Blue Devils defeated Timberlane during homecoming. Then the Blue Devils celebrated Columbus Day with, you guessed it, a 3-0 victory at Londonderry.

Coach EJ Perry said the Timberlane triumph was especially satisfying because the Owls entered play tied for second in the state with a 9-3 record. The first game, he added, was the most dramatic.

Timberlane took a 25-24 lead on a kill by Owls’ senior standout Alex Mill, but Player of the Year candidate Jason Kinney responded with a block and two kills for Salem, which won the second game, 25-14, and the third, 25-19.

Kinney finished the contest with 14 kills and eight blocks, Chris Barnes continued his fine play at setter with 32 assists, four blocks, two kills and 12 service points, and middle hitter Jared Scali offered seven kills and four blocks.

Against Souhegan, Salem recognized its five seniors, including captians Sean Stewart and Tim Sullivan, as well as Meme Okeke, Jesse Forrest and and Michael Sapochetti.

All five were in the first rotation for game one, and they earned a 25-20 win behind Stewart’s eight digs and seven service points. Sullivan earned a standing ovation when he dove into the stands for one of his four digs. Sapochetti added five digs and four kills, Forrest contributed four kills, and Meme Okeke recorded five kills and two blocks.

Kinney and Andrew Tiner combined for 11 kills and five blocks to lead the Blue Devils to a 25-9 victory in game two. And all the seniors were back on the floor when Sullivan served the final point of the 25- 14 game-three win.

Against Mascenic, sophomores Corey Forrest and Joe Gallant stood out with eight and seven kills, respectively. Salem opens the postseason against the No. 8 seed, Oyster River or Souhegan, on Thursday, Oct. 23.

Salem boys volleyball battles past Pinkerton in opener, then crushes Souhegan

Salem Editor — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:59:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Another week, another two wins for the Salem boys volleyball team. With back-to-back 3-0 victories against Pinkerton Academy and Souhegan High School, the Blue Devils extended their national-record winning streak to 76 games.

The previous record of 69 consecutive triumphs was due to six years of dominance by Palisades, Calif., before the locals broke it last year.

A tight third game against Pinkerton, said coach EJ Perry, woke his players up for their second match of the season, against Souhegan on Thursday, Sept 4.

In the first game, they demolished the Sabres, 25-3. In fact, Souhegan’s lone points came on missed serves. Salem won games two and three, 25-12 and 25-13, respectively.

Just as important as the dominant performance, said Perry, was the in-game opportunity provided to all 17 players. Brothers Corey and Jesse Forrest, said the coach, both turned in productive games. Corey, a sophomore outside hitter, tallied five kills and two blocks in the final two games of the match. Jesse, a senior right side hitter, recorded four kills and two digs.

The contest also provided playing time for Kyle Ruffen, a junior middle hitter, who notched five kills and three blocks. Senior captain Tim Sullivan, playing defensive specialist in the second game, recorded four digs.

In the third game, he relieved starting setter Chris Barnes, who notched 24 assists. Sullivan responded with 10 helpers of his own.

A day earlier, in their season opener, the Blue Devils took care of rival Pinkerton, 25-21, 25-16 and 29-27.

“Any opening game is a tough matchup, and with a young team it is very stressful, but the kids responded,” said Perry. “They were able to show dominance in the second game of the match when they won 25-16 and had been ahead by 10 points or more three times.”

Perry said the third game, when the Astros took a late 27-26 lead, tested his youngsters’ poise. Dan Tiner and Jason Kinney, specifically, showed their mettle, he said.

Tiner produced two solid kills, and Kinney finished off Pinkerton with a “monster” cross-court kill from the right side. Tiner finished the contest with 14 kills and seven blocks, and Kinney offered 11 kills and five blocks.

Barnes led the team with 26 assists and added five digs, three kills and two blocks.

“He has to play (well) all around, and he never comes off the floor,” said Perry. Meme Okeke, a senior middle hitter, contributed five kills and seven blocks in his first start, while sophomore outside hitter Joe Gallant added five kills and two blocks in his first taste of varsity action. Junior middle hitter Jared Scali and Corey Forrest each recorded three kills and two blocks.

That depth, said Perry, will continue to pay dividends throughout the season. The back row, had a fine showing as well.

Senior captain and defensive specialist Sean Steward made seven digs, and his jump serve produced 12 points. Junior libero CJ DeMarco collected eight digs and six service points. Junior Justin O’Brien and senior Michael Sapochetti, said Perry, also contributed to the victory.

With 74 straight victories on the books, Salem High School boys volleyball team turns the page again

Salem Editor — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:54:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Entering the season with a national record 74-match winning streak and four consecutive state titles, most would find it difficult to raise the expectations any higher entering the 2008 season.

Not EJ Perry.

The Salem High School coach, who has also led the Blue Devils basketball team to two straight crowns, said this year’s squad is hands down his best unit to date.

“We have a huge X on our backs as everybody is trying to beat the four-time defending champions, but in Salem we relish that role and use it for motivation,” said Perry. “This is the most talented Salem team in the 10-year history of volleyball (six club seasons and four varsity). It should be exciting to see this team mature.”

The Blue Devils send out a lethal crop of hitters, led by 6-foot- 4 junior Jason Kinney. Kinney has the opportunity to become a more accomplished player than his older brother Dan, the 2007 Division I Player of the Year (POY), said Perry.

That’s high praise considering the elder Kinney was recognized in Sports Illustrated after making the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American team by averaging 22 kills and eight blocks per match.

Similarly, Dan Tiner, the cousin of 2004 and 2005 POY Andrew Tiner, also started last year and averaged better than eight kills a match. Perry said Tiner came in this season with improved passing skills.

Both players, he said, are top contenders for 2008 POY honors. That’s largely because each has played volleyball since sixth grade; most athletes aren’t introduced to the sport until high school.

Hitting in the middle this season are Chukwuekmeka Okeke and Jared Scali. Both players were reserves last season, but picked up the team’s winning mentality and are ready to start after improving in the off-season.

Junior Chris Barnes starts at setter, and Joe Gallant battled and beat out fellow sophomore Corey Forrest for the other starting outside hitter spot. Perry said Gallant’s 6-foot-3 frame gave him a slight advantage, though the 6- foot-1 Forrest is likely to see plenty of action as a top reserve. Senior Sean Stewart, a starter on the last two championship teams, anchors the defense and captains the team along with junior CJ DeMarco, who Perry said may be the best passer in the state. DeMarco moves from starting defensive specialist to libero.

Playing major roles off the bench are senior Michael Sapochetti and junior Justin O’Brien, who enters his first varsity season. Others contributing for SHS this season include outside hitter Jesse Forrest and juniors Kevin Delfosse, Matthew Les, Kyle Ruffen and Patrick Sheehy.

After losing Dan Kinney, who graduated with a 121-3 record between volleyball and basketball, Perry said the ball will be spread around more, and the team has adopted the motto, “We before me.”

“This year’s team will only start one senior … but is probably my most experienced team,” said Perry, who added that as fun as it is to dominate each season, he hopes volleyball continues to grow within the Granite State.

“The sport should be getting more popular with the U.S. winning the gold in Beijing,” said Perry. “The games, both beach volleyball and indoor volleyball, at the Olympics were incredible. I know I watched it and my players watched it, and hopefully there were others out there who appreciated it as much as we did and the sport can start coming of age in New Hampshire.”

Salem High School volleyball coach says two-time champs need only time to gel

Salem Editor — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:43:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

If forced to choose a model for postseason success, last season presented the ideal scenario. Dan Young, entering his fourth season as coach of the Salem girls volleyball team, now has two state titles to his credit.

Two years ago, he said, the squad peaked early, yet was able to rely on pure talent to finish undefeated and win a championship. Last year, the Lady Blue Devils scuffled and battled all season, but were playing their best volleyball when it counted most. The end result was the same. This season, Young said he may not have a choice.

“The plan right now is to openly admit we’re going to struggle early, which doesn’t necessarily mean the wins won’t be there, but it may look a little ugly in September,” he said. “We have the ability to be very good. I think how good is going to be up to us. We may not be at the level of the team say two years ago, but the potential is certainly there to be as good and maybe even better.”

Though lacking established superstars, the team is balanced and deep. In fact, girls fighting for playing time at SHS would be clear starters on most squads throughout the state, he added.

“There’s still a lot of questions that need to be answered, as far as who is playing and where, and that’s not a bad thing,” Young said. “It’s not that they’re not playing well. It’s that a lot of players are playing well.”

This season, some solid returning players are stepping into new roles and are complemented by talented up-and-comers, some of whom played junior varsity last year.

Senior Amanda Saab, said Young, is the best offensive player in the state, while Becca Weiss is slated to be the team’s pace setter. Both players have started every game during the past two title runs.

“They’re certainly who I’m leaning on for leadership,” said Young.

Robyn Ciriello, who started all last year, takes on more responsibility and moves to the outside, and junior Courtney Wright, said the coach, presents an interesting dilemma in that she’s one of the top two defensive players on the floor, and yet she’s a superb hitter. Most likely, she’ll play libero, though that could change.

Peters are expected to see a big increase in playing time. Both, said Young, are talented enough to start at libero for any team in Class L.

Junior Erica Begin and Melissa Oulette bring youth and size to the starting lineup, and Nicole Boucher has the unenviable task of replacing all-state setter and record holder Lauren Delaney.

“She’s not going to be able to take over for Lauren, and she doesn’t have to … Erika will be fine being her own player,” said Young of the powerful, 5-foot-10 junior. “And I’ll tell you this, I’ve never seen a player improve from one year to the next and take on a new position like Nicole’s done.”

Sophomore Erika Gallo and freshman Kerry White are also expected to contribute. While the athletic prowess of the entire team is superb, Young said this year’s unit is by far the smartest team he’s ever coached. In fact, one of the Lady Blue Devils’ goals this season is to avoid getting even one C amongst their report cards.

“That speaks to the caliber of players they are,” said Young. They’re very heady.”

SHS alumna continues to stand tall at Bentley

Salem Editor — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:19:00 GMT

BY JENN MCDOWELL

Salem native Christina Sadowski is one of Bentley College’s most prolific killers – spiking the volleyball, that is.
Salem native Christina Sadowski is one of Bentley College’s most prolific killers – spiking the volleyball, that is.

The senior middle hitter and team captain, majoring in finance, amassed 1,369 kills in her four years with Bentley, which puts her second on the Falcons’ all-time leader board.

Sadowski, one of four players in Northeast-10 Conference history to record 1,300 kills and 500 blocks in a career, was named the conference Player of the Year on Saturday, Nov. 10.

She led Bentley into the second round of the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional, collecting 20 kills in a 3-2 win against Georgian Court University on Thursday, Nov. 15, at St. John’s University in Oakdale, N.Y. The Falcons dropped a 3-0 regional-semifinal decision to top-seeded Dowling College – winner of 35 straight matches – despite 10 kills and four blocks in her final collegiate match on Friday, Nov. 16.

At a striking 6-foot-1, Sadowski had “freshman starter” written all over her, according to longtime Bentley volleyball coach Sandy Hoffman.

“She definitely earned that position. It is extremely hard to find someone of her abilities,” said Hoffman, who added that one of Sadowski’s best features is her ability to move freely along the net.

Bentley, seeded fourth in the D-II regional, finished 24-10 this season, with 18 shutout wins.

Sadowski’s .367 regular-season hitting average, a number that spiked to .443 in the last 11 matches, was a major reason for the team’s success.

Sadowski posted those results after suffering a torn meniscus during Bentley’s volleyball camp, for which she volunteers as an instructor.

“My knee still isn’t 100 percent,” Sadowski said, adding swelling and soreness occasionally slow her at the net. “I’ve worked hard to come back and play.”

She began at Salem High School as a freshman under Michelle Cassidy, making the middle-hitter position her own by junior year. She also played varsity basketball for the Blue Devils and soccer as a child, but settled on volleyball as her primary sport.

“I think it’s just (that I have) a love for the game. It’s so different from every other sport,” Sadowski said. “Team chemistry is really important. When we all play together, it’s just awesome to watch.”

Sadowski spent last semester studying abroad, visiting Italy, Greece, Croatia, Germany, Hungary and several other places.

In Vienna, Sadowski played on a co-ed recreational volleyball team to stay in shape for Bentley’s season.

All of the players spoke German, Sadowski said, and many spoke English as well, so they translated the coach’s instructions for her.

Sadowski, who carries a grade-point average above 3.8 as she approaches graduation, also works with Hoffman, charged with keeping track of the athletic department’s budgets and finances, and is a member of the college’s Student Athlete Advisory Council.

“She’s just a tremendous person in terms of anything she touches,” Hoffman said.