Bruins Settle For Second In Volleyball State Final

All season, the Broadneck volleyball team has sported T-shirts with a line from the movie “Rocky V” — “I didn’t hear no bell.”

The mantra and ethos behind the quote served them well all season, getting to the 4A state final.

On Saturday, however, the bell finally tolled for the Bruins. Richard Montgomery, undefeated and the defending state title winner returning three key players, simply had too much firepower as the Rockets repeated as champs with a 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 victory at Harford Community College.

“We knew what they could do, and what they had coming back. They were the better team,” said Broadneck coach Tracey Regalbuto. “We knew that we were going to have to play amazing to have a chance, and we didn’t.”

Montgomery had plenty to do with that, with four quality attackers, including both Rockets setters. But the Bruins committed an uncharacteristic amount of errors as well, particularly in the first set.

The Bruins manufactured some momentum at the end of the first set on a five-point run behind the serving of sophomore Marley Evans, but that head of steam was squelched early in the second.

Broadneck’s normal attack duo of Kennedy Smith and Anna Graves both logged kills when the opportunity presented, but Montgomery’s attacking power kept the Bruins defense under pressure and limited their quality attacking opportunities in response.

Still, with a final record of 17-4, county and regional championships, a state championship match appearance, and a great deal of experience for a junior-heavy roster, the Bruins exited the stage as upbeat as could be expected for coming so close to winning it all.

“You’re playing for a state championship, and only one team gets to finish with a smile on their face,” Regalbuto said. “A state championship is always the goal, but we really wanted to just go as far as we could this season because we know what we have, but we also know what we have coming back.”