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| Match Number | W/L | Team Name | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Team Name | W/L |
| Match 1 | W | CRG | 25-18 | 25-23 | 25-22 | HNS | L | ||
| Match 2 | W | SHS | 25-6 | 26-13 | 25-12 | MET | L | ||
| Match 3 | W | PSG | 25-10 | 25-12 | 25-15 | WRG | L | ||
| Match 4 | W | KTN | 25-14 | 25-15 | 25-10 | TMHS | L | ||
| Match 5 | W | MEHS | 25-9 | 25-22 | 25-16 | CRG | L | ||
| Match 6 | W | PSG | 25-12 | 25-22 | 25-16 | SHS | L | ||
| Match 7 | L | MET | 21-25 | 16-25 | 25-19 | 25-21 | 12-15 | WRG | W |
| Match 8 | L | HNS | 15-25 | 23-25 | 25-18 | 25-22 | 13-15 | SHS | W |
| Match 9 | W | CRG | 25-14 | 25-13 | 25-14 | WRG | L | ||
| Match 10 | L | JDHS | 23-25 | 25-15 | 25-18 | 22-25 | 14-16 | KTN | W |
| Match 11 | W | CRG | 25-17 | 25-15 | 25-18 | SHS | L | ||
| Match 12 | L | TMHS | 12-25 | 3-25 | 10-25 | JDHS | W | ||
| Match 13 | W | MEHS | 25-11 | 25-16 | 26-24 | PSG | L | ||
| Match 14 | W | PSG | 19-25 | 25-21 | 25-14 | 25-22 | CRG | L | |
| Match 15 | L | KTN | 15-25 | 10-25 | 19-25 | JDHS | W | ||
| Match 16 | W | MEHS | 25-10 | 25-23 | 25-22 | PSG | L | ||
| Match 17 | L | KTN | 15-25 | 25-23 | 19-25 | 25-11 | JDHS | W |
The Lady Braves Volleyball team defeated the Petersburg Vikings in 3 games to bring back the Region V championship to MEHS. They will be on their way to Anchorage for the State IIIA Tournament in a few days.
With the sound of the thunderous toga dressed MEHS student cheering section, Game 1 saw the Braves dominate defensively and offensively. Connie Melovidov started out with two hard driving spikes to make it 2-0. At 7-5, Johanson drove the ball to the floor. Fields followed up with a slam off the net. Soon it was 10-5 and time for a Petersburg time out to calm things down.
But the offense from Nicole Pingayak, Connie Melovidoff, Brenna Johanson, Britley Calkins, and Christina Fields just didn’t let up. The sets by Bessie Binkowski continued, beautiful in their arcing sphere high into the lights, exploding with the firepower of the offensive line. Final score in game 1: 25-10.
The Petersburg Vikings woke up in Game 2. Despite the vociferous crowd, the Vikings stayed with the plan. With Petersburg leading the whole game, it wasn’t until Johansen tipped it over the net to tie the score at 20-20. Even then, the Vikings, particularly #14 and #4, drove the Braves into errors. Fields dinked the ball over the net to take the lead at 22-21. But MEHS would not take control until a Melovidov tip to go up 24-23, and then a Calkins spike to win 25-23.
Senior Connie Melovidov continued her dominance early in Game 3 with an exploding spike from the left side to start 1-0. At 5-1, it was the Viking’s turn for a time out. Although Petersburg came back as late as 16-14, it was junior Christina Fields, sophomore Brenna Johanson, and seniors Pingayak, Melovidov, Weber, and Calkins with too much firepower for the Vikings. The game and match ended with the score 25-22.
The Lady Braves are coached by Rich Calkins, Brenda Calkins, and Archie Young. After losing a number of powerful seniors last year, it was questionable as to where the Braves might end up. However, the Lady Braves were undefeated this year in IIIA competition.
Good luck at STATE!
The Lady Braves volleyball team defeated Petersburg High School in 3 games last night at the B.J. McGillis Fieldhouse. The win puts the Braves into the Championship Game today (Saturday) at 4:30 p.m.
Game 1 started with a Connie Melovidov spike to tie the game 1-1. The Ladies never looked back. The game went to 4-2 with a Nicole Pingayak block at the net, and 5-2 with a powerful spike by Christina Fields. Britley Calkins continued her serving prowess with 8 straight serves to result in a 10-2 lead. Bessie Binkowski dominated the gym with her high arcing sets to either side of the court. Calkins continued her serving dominance by serving four straight serves to finish the game 25-11.
Game 2 was rewind the video tape and play it again. Melovidov powerfully drove the ball at Petersburg. Johanson started hitting the ball well on the left side. By the time Fields blocked a spike at the net, the score was 14-5, MEHS leading. After a short run by Petersburg, Fields began to hit to make it 23-15. The final game score was 25-16.
Volleyball is a game of momentum. Game 3 was a different story. After starting the game 1-0 with yet another Melovidov spike, Petersburg took advantage of MEHS errors. The consistency that the team has been showing all tourney took a dive into the crowded stands of MEHS vocal students. At 7-3 Petersburg, it was time for a Coach Calkins time out to settle things down. Then with a Petersburg mis-serve, a Johanson hit, and 2 Bessie Binkowski serves, the Braves tied the score 7-7.
But this time, Petersburg would not go away. Up16-13; it was time for another time out. Still, the girls could not pull out the consistency required to pull away. Down 19-21, Johanson served to 21-22. Melovidov spiked the ball to tie it up at 22-22. Another Fields serve put MEHS ahead 22-21. Petersburg came back with their own powerful spike to tie at 23-23. Calkins drove the serve into the Petersburg defense to go ahead 25-24. Connie Melovidov finished the game with a spike. MEHS outlasted Petersburg with a final score of 26-24.
With a true double elimination tournament, MEHS plays the winner of Petersburg and Craig High Schools at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon. If MEHS loses, the teams will play again at 8:30 p.m.
The returning Region V IIIA champion Lady Braves volleyball team overpowered Craig High School last night in three games: 25-9, 25-15, 25-1.
The team is led by seniors Connie Melovidov (St Paul Island), Bessie Binkowski (Dillingham), Britley Calkins (Sitka), Nicole Pingayak (Chevak), and Whitney Weber (Anaktuvuk Pass). Christina Fields (Kotzebue) and Brenna Johanson (Hoonah) play important roles as underclassmen.
Assistant Coach Archie Young cites consistency as the mark of last night’s games. Defensively, the ball was kept in the air. Offensively, the girls made few mistakes. Sets and passes were accurate.
Mr. Young continued, “The girls are playing their best volleyball when it matters – right here in B.J. McGillis Gymnasium for the regionals.”
Special note should be made for Britley Calkins in game 3, who served 21 straight successful serves to finish the game. This serving prowess stands as a MEHS record!
MEHS will play Petersburg High School in Game 13 at 8 p.m. tonight.
The Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves have owned high school volleyball in Southeast for the last three years. The Lady Braves will enter the Region V tournament today looking to capture their third straight Southeast title.
And they can do it in front of their home fans.
Mt. Edgecumbe's B.J. McGillis Gymnasium will play host to the Region V tournament the next three days. Teams from across the region will be on Japonski Island with the 3A and 4A titles on the line.
Mt. Edgecumbe finished the 2009 regular season 12-0 and has won 45 straight conference matches against 3A teams.
With two more wins, the Lady Braves will clinch a berth in the state tournament. A third straight tournament win will clinch Region V for Edgecumbe. The season started for MEHS coach Rich Calkins back in September, with a largely remade roster. Mt. Edgecumbe was undefeated in 2008 and won a second straight Region V title. But nine girls from that team graduated last year, and Calkins worried in the early going about chemistry.
Edgecumbe has not yet missed a beat this season, and the Lady Braves seems to be playing their best volleyball at the right time.
The Region V 3A tournament will open today at 11 a.m., with a match between Craig and Haines. Sitka will play Metlakatla at 12:45 p.m., followed by Petersburg against Wrangell at 2:30 p.m. Mt. Edgecumbe has a first-round bye and will take on the Craig vs. Haines winner at 6 p.m. The other semifinal, set for 7:45 p.m., will likely be Sitka against the winner of Wrangell and Petersburg. If Mt. Edgecumbe wins their first match, they will play at 8 p.m. on Friday.
The Lady Braves enter the tournament as the favorites, with Sitka, Craig and Petersburg in the second tier. The Sitka Wolves were 9-3 this year, losing twice to Edgecumbe and splitting two matches with Craig. Petersburg is three seed, while Wrangell is fifth and Metlakatla is sixth. Craig and Haines are third and fourth seeds.
The top two 3A teams will advance to the state tournament, which will open Nov. 12 in Anchorage. The tournament is double elimination, so a team can battle back after a loss and win a state tournament berth.
The 4A state tournament will also be contested at Mt. Edgecumbe starting today. Juneau-Douglas, the top seed, has a first-round bye and will await the winner of Thunder Mountain and Ketchikan. It will be the first Southeast tournament for the Thunder Mountain Falcons. Thunder Mountain is in its second year of existence, but this is the first year the school is fielding athletic teams.
With their third straight Region V title in the bag, the Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves volleyball team is looking north to the state tournament.
The Lady Braves, who ran their 3A conference winning streak to 48 games on their way to another Southeast title, will open the 3A state championships at Anchorage's West High Thursday night against Grace Christian Academy.
Grace beat Edgecumbe in the first round last year before losing in the final to Anchorage Christian School.
ACS enters this year's state tournament as the favorite, but MEHS coach Rich Calkins said the Lady Braves are confident they can compete with the state's best teams. And Edgecumbe is playing its best volleyball of the season at the right time, Calkins said.
``When we play well, we feel real good about our team,'' Calkins said today, adding: ``I'm real pleased with where we're at. We have to put together three consistent efforts in a row.''
Calkins was referring to the fact that the eventual state 3A volleyball champion will have won three straight matches when all is said and done.
Edgecumbe was the state runner-up in 2007 and seemed poised for a re-match with Cordova in 2008, but the Lady Braves ran into a hot Grace team that dashed their state title hopes.
If the Braves can get past the first match this year, anything is possible, Calkins said.
Edgecumbe is scheduled to leave town Tuesday night, with their first game at state set for 7:15 p.m. Thursday night.
If the Lady Braves beat Grace, they will face the winner of Monroe Catholic and Kotzebue in the semifinals.
Delta Junction will face Dillingham and Anchorage Christian will take on Petersburg on the other side of the single-elimination bracket.
Petersburg advanced to the state tournament after beating Craig in an elimination match Saturday afternoon at the Region V tournament, a three-day affair hosted by Mt. Edgecumbe.
The Lady Braves opened the action with a win over Craig Thursday night, then beat Petersburg Friday and Saturday to claim their third straight Southeast title.
Four Mt. Edgecumbe players made were awarded with a spot on the all-conference team : Brenna Johanson, Nicole Pingayak, Bessie Binkowski and Britley Calkins.
Johanson, a sophomore, is the only non-senior in the group of Lady Braves.
After Petersburg lost in the semifinals of the double elimination tournament to Edgecumbe Friday night (25-11, 25-16, 26-24), the Vikings played Craig with a berth in the state tournament on the line.
The Lady Vikings won and moved on to play undefeated Edgecumbe in the Region V final.
The top two 3A teams in Southeast advance to state, so Petersburg was assured of a trip north when they took the court Saturday to play Edgecumbe.
Petersburg played well, but Edgecumbe held on for a sweep, with wins of 25-10, 25-23 and 25-22. Calkins said Edgecumbe relaxed a bit after the first game, but he was pleased that the Lady Braves held it together in front of a boisterous home crowd on Japonski Island.
``I wasn't real happy with the intensity, but I was really happy the girls competed in those close matches,'' Calkins said.
Edgecumbe jumped out to a 13-6 lead in the first game and went on to win 25-10 behind powerful hitting from senior Connie Melovidov. The Lady Braves also got strong play from seniors Britley Calkins and Nicole Pingayak and junior Christina Fields. The second game was back-and-forth, and Edgecumbe fell behind 17-12 before making a run. The Lady Braves tied the score 21-21 on a winner from Brenna Johanson, and two spikes by Fields gave Edgecumbe a 23-21 lead. Melovidov scored to put her team up 24-23 and Edgecumbe closed out a 25-23 win for a 2-0 lead.
Melovidov and Fields again led the way in the third game.
Edgecumbe went up 10-4, but Petersburg refused to go quietly, pulling within a point at 15-14. Bessie Binkowski scored to put Edgecumbe up 24-21 and after a point by the Lady Vikings, Melovidov closed it out with a spike that was too much to handle. The 25-22 win sealed a three-peat for the Lady Braves.
``It's always a thrill to win a regional championship,'' Calkins said, pointing out it was a first-time event for some of the players. ``The girls showed a lot of character and stepped up when they needed to, which was nice to see. Petersburg didn't quit.''
Petersburg, which got solid play up front all tournament, entered as the three seed, but stood out as the second best team in Southeast. The Vikings' only tournament losses were to Edgecumbe, a team that dropped just one game against 3A Southeast opponents this season.
The Lady Vikings will face a tough task when they take on ACS Thursday.
Calkins hopes that Edgecumbe too will get a shot at the defending state champs. That meeting could only happen in the state finals.
Five players from the Mt. Edgecumbe team were named to the Region V All-Academic team, which was reserved for seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Binkowski, Calkins, Melovidov, Pingayak and Whitney Weber got the honor.
Two players from each Region V team were given a ``good sport award.'' The honor went to Calkins and Kristen Johanson for MEHS.
