Barons Serve Up a Win Over Watkins Mill

Article by Sebastian Montes; photos by Kim Grimes

Their play was sharper and the team more in tune, but it wasn’t enough as the Lady 'Rines fell to B-CC in Watkins Mill's annual "Dig Pink!" breast cancer fundraiser.

The Barons' straight-set win started off behind the serving of Sierra Hahn-Ventrell, whose dipping serve baffled Watkins Mill in Wednesday’s opening set as Bethesda-Chevy Chase jumped to the lead winning the first set 25-10.

“Her jump-serve floats, she can put it wherever she wants it, and it usually causes a lot of fits with a bunch of different teams," said B-CC Coach Sue McPherson.

With Watkins Mill’s biggest home crowd of the season on hand for the fundraiser, the Lady ‘Rines settled down and started showing a level of play that has made big strides through the course of the season. But B-CC managed to quash those streaks before they went too far, piecing together a 25-21 win in the second game and a 25-20 win in the third.

It’s been a bumpy ride for the Barons this season, with McPherson coming aboard as coach only in the last few weeks. That unsteadiness is reflected in the 5-8 record. McPherson has seen a handful of matches, and is still gauging what kind of a team they really are.

“I see that we’ve got a ton of talent. We sometimes get frustrated and we don’t play to our potential, unfortunately,” she said. “We’ve got to come together a little more as a team. We need the positive attitudes out there. We need everybody to contribute as part of a team. We don’t have a bunch of individuals out there.”

B-CC has made an early playoff exit the last few years. This year, McPherson believes the potential is there to make a better go of it.

Watkins Mill’s goals for the approaching playoffs: find more confidence heading in.

Despite Wednesday's loss, the Lady ‘Rines are on an upward arc. They scored their first wins of the season in the two games prior to B-CC—against Seneca Valley and Springbrook—triggered in part by moving freshman star Caroline Hanson from setter to outside hitter and having senior Andrea Falcon handle the set-up duties, who brings more experience running an offense.

“We have to believe in ourselves. But we are getting better. Everything is happening quicker and better. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and not letting it break down,” she said. “With winning more games and winning more points, then that can continue. Right now at this point, it’s all the mental part of it. That’s the hardest part as a coach, because there’s no drill for mental toughness and having confidence.”

They face maybe their biggest challenge yet against undefeated Magruder on Thursday.

“I’m looking for us to compete. Certainly not to take anything away from Magruder, but they’re not the mythical Magruder of years past,” Tyler said. “So if we can get past the mental roadblock and be competitive, then we have the opportunity to take a game—to take three games, you never know.”