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11-3-09

Lady Braves Sweep Petersburg

By Craig Giammona
Courtesy of Daily Sitka Sentinel

The Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves volleyball team wrapped up another undefeated season Saturday night, recording a two-match sweep of Petersburg to finish the year with a 12-0 conference record.

The Lady Braves beat Petersburg in three straight games Friday and Saturday nights to run their 3A conference winning streak to 45 games.

The last conference loss for Mt. Edgecumbe came in the 2006 Region V tournament.

Edgecumbe will enter the regional championships -- scheduled to open Thursday at the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium -- as the top seed and the team has earned a first-round bye. The Lady Braves will await the winner of Craig and Haines, in a match set for 6 p.m. Thursday on Japonski Island.

Edgecumbe will need at least three more wins to capture their third straight Southeast title.

The tournament is double elimination and the top two teams will advance to the state tourney in Anchorage.

The Lady Braves beat Petersburg 25-15, 25-19 and 25-10 Friday night at B.J. McGillis, then came back on Saturday to win 25-22, 25-19 and 25-18.

MEHS coach Rich Calkins said Brenna Johanson and Connie Melovidov led the way for the Braves over the weekend.

``They both hit the ball really well,'' Calkins said. ``They hit it the best they have all year.''

Melovidov was one of five Mt. Edgecumbe seniors honored before Saturday's match. Bessie Binkowski, Britley Calkins, Nicole Pingayak and Whitney Weber, four other seniors, joined Melovidov for their final regular season volleyball game at Mt. Edgecumbe.

Calkins said the girls wanted to thank the Edgecumbe fans for their support this year, and performed a dance inspired by the video to Michael Jackson's “Thriller” before the game.

``It was a really good night,'' Calkins said. ``We're very proud of the fact they went undefeated again.''

The Lady Braves got back to business with a practice Sunday night. Calkins said the girls are ready to go after their third straight Region V title.

``The attitude and the mood right now is where it should be,'' Calkins said. ``We're confident but not cocky. They understand this is the start of a new season.''