Boys Volleyball 2009 PIAA Champions

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It was a long wait, but the Ambridge Area High School boys’ volleyball team finally realized its goal of winning a PIAA title.
“The kids have been working toward this since the final day of last season,” Ambridge coach Dennis Damp said. “We’ve been dreaming of this goal. It’s a dream come true.”
Damp and his 2009 Bridgers squad became the first volleyball team in school history to claim a PIAA title with a convincing 3-0 victory against District 10 champion Maplewood in the Class AA final Saturday at Penn State University’s Multi-Sports Facility.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Bridgers outside hitter Nick Goodell said. “Everyone’s adrenaline was rushing. Everyone did what they needed to do. We took it to another level today. It was the best match we played all season.”
The title comes on the heels of last year’s disappointing 3-2 loss to Wyomissing in the championship match. Making that loss even more frustrating was the fact that Ambridge held a 2-1 lead after three games and was serving for match point in game four.
“Losing in the finals last year was devastating,” Ambridge setter Evan Fullerton said. “But the experience we picked up in that match really helped us this year. We were much more relaxed and confident going into this year’s title match.”
The title marked the first time since 1999 that a WPIAL school claimed a PIAA volleyball championship.
“We really wanted to bring back a title for the WPIAL,” Damp said. “We had the No. 1 [Class AA ranking] on our back most of the year. The kids did a great job of handling that pressure.”
Ambridge earned its PIAA berth by claiming its second consecutive WPIAL title. The Bridgers earned a return trip to Penn State with a 3-1 win against District 10 runner-up Cambridge Springs in the first round.
“The competition we faced in the first round and the quarterfinal round robin helped prepare us for the semifinals and finals,” Damp said. “We had to fight like crazy to get out of our pool.”
Despite the stiff challenge, Ambridge was the only team in the quarterfinal round robin to finish with a 3-0 record. The Bridgers opened with a 2-1 win against District 2 champion North Pocono, then swept Maplewood and District 3 runner-up Manheim Central.
“North Pocono gave us our only loss of the weekend,” Damp said. “We also had a pair of two-point games with Maplewood. They gave us our best matches of the weekend.”
Ambridge began the second day of competition with a 3-0 win against Deer Lakes, a team the Bridgers beat one week earlier in the WPIAL title match. Deer Lakes put up a battle, but Ambridge walked away with wins of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-19 to claim its spot in the finals.
“We didn’t face Maplewood during the regular season, but coach taped one of their matches,” said Luke Ecimovic, a senior right-side hitter for the Bridgers. “We watched it a whole bunch of times before we came to Penn State. We picked up on things they did, where they hit the ball, how their hitters blocked. That helped a lot in the state championship match.”
Unlike their match in the preliminary round, Ambridge dominated Maplewood in the final.
The Bridgers won the first two games by double digits — 25-15 and 25-10 — then capped the match with a 25-19 victory.
“Ambridge played outstanding ball,” Maplewood coach Sheila Bancroft said. “[Ambridge] was the best team, no question. They played nearly perfect ball. They had us on our heels with their serving, passed well and had a lot of weapons to defend. They played much better than in pool play. They stepped it up to another level in the finals.”
Goodell, a 6-4 junior outside hitter who was named the WPIAL’s Class AA MVP, led the Bridgers’ potent offensive attack with 25 kills, 6 digs, 2 serving aces and 2 blocks.
“Losing the way we did last year was tough,” said Goodell, who made an unofficial visit to Penn State earlier in the season. “This was the match we were waiting for. It was a long wait, but well worth it.”
Damp was thrilled with the play of Goodell.
“Nick Goodell went to a whole different level [Saturday],” Damp said. “The kid touches 11-foot-5. He goes laterally, he can jump serve, he can do it all. I don’t know how they could stop him. He’s a freight train.”
Ecimovic contributed nine kills, two blocks and three digs.
“It’s the last game I’ll ever play,” said Ecimovic, who has accepted a football scholarship to Indiana State University. “It’s the best way to go out. I wasn’t expecting to blow them out like that. We just came out and played our best.”
Fullerton recorded 37 assists and nine digs.
“Winning a PIAA title is the best feeling,” said Fullerton, who has accepted a scholarship to play NCAA Division II ball at Pfeiffer College in North Carolina. We worked so hard to reach this goal. We just came together as a team and pushed like never before.”
Five Ambridge players will graduate, Fullerton, Ecimovic, outside hitter Zack Smith, middle hitter Darren Jones, and defensive specialist Jonathan Sacco.
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/hsother/2009/06/04/PG-West-Long-wait-ends-as-Ambridge-nets-PIAA-Class-AA-boys-volleyball-championship/stories/200906040396