BARNSTABLE 3, ANDOVER 0

Early response keeps Barnstable on a familiar path

By Jack McCluskey, Globe Correspondent | November 15, 2007

MILTON - Andover coach George Sullivan knew his team would be in trouble if it didn't come out firing against four-time defending Division 1 champion Barnstable in last night's semifinal at Milton High. The Golden Warriors hit on all cylinders in the first game, but so did Barnstable as the Red Raiders took a tough opener and then swept to their fifth straight final by scores of 25-22, 25-11, and 25-13.

"This game's all confidence," said Sullivan. "By losing the first game you lose momentum."

Momentum was a hard thing to come by in the first. Five points was the longest run for either side, with Barnstable ripping off that many after Andover put the Raiders' backs to the wall, 22-20. To get to that point the teams traded service points (from Andover's Meghan Thomann) for hits (from Barnstable's Kara Cullen), service errors for bad passes, resulting in eight lead changes and 16 ties.

Cullen started Barnstable's 5-0 run with two savvy tips past the Andover blockers, who were gearing up to stop the 6-foot-1-inch senior's forceful swings. And when the Warriors dropped back to pick up the tips, Cullen let loose, rifling two monster hits past single blocks and essentially ending the game.

"I was really hoping to get better blocking out of our front row," said Sullivan. "If you don't get a piece of that ball it's kind of hard to stand back there when you see that thing coming at you about 80 miles an hour."

The second and third games were a testament to that, as Andover abandoned its double blocks to try to pick up tips, and found itself exposed to the power of Cullen (16 kills), Stephanie Bristol (15), and Nora Wood (10).

"We're confident that people will cover us," said Bristol, explaining how the Raiders were able to take such mighty swings, "[that] our defense will pick up blocks so we can just swing away."

Barnstable coach Tom Turco said the Raiders worked a lot on hitter coverage before the game, and a number of spectacular sprawling digs testified to that.

"You change the momentum in the match by putting on a defensive effort," said Turco. "That's what happened in the second game."

Setter Amanda Parker, battling illness, recorded close to 50 assists, running the Raiders' offense to perfection. Parker took advantage of a strong game from Wood, setting a number of balls to the junior on the outside and catching Andover off guard. And when the Warriors had to worry about Wood, the middle opened up for Cullen and Bristol, with lethal effect.

Andover came out flat in the second game. When Bristol got a set on the net, she took a huge swing, hammering the ball almost straight down off the head of Katie Fionte. The ball was returned off the bounce, but a stunned Fionte couldn't handle the next Barnstable offering, a push by Wood, and Barnstable was off and running.

"They see things on the floor," said Turco of the offensive adjustments, "and we exploited it and [Andover] didn't adjust to it so we kept getting those points."

Barnstable moves on to face Milford in the final Saturday at 6 p.m. at Hudson High.