Oakcrest volleyball wins PVAC title In the second year of its volleyball program, the Oakcrest School of McLean won the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) AA Division with a dramatic win over rival Sandy Spring Friends School last Thursday at the Washington International School.
In its first match of the season, Oakcrest was shut out, 3-0, by Sandy Spring, but the Chargers rebounded to win their next five league matches. In early October, Oakcrest returned to Sandy Spring for a rematch, and after losing the first two games, the Chargers regrouped and staged a comeback. Behind the play of senior Tori Jensen, Oakcrest won the match 3 games to 2. Jensen scored 13 of the 15 points needed to win the decisive fifth game.
Sandy Spring Friends and Oakcrest both finished the season 11-1 in the AA Division of the PVAC and were named regular season co-champions. Due to a tie-breaker, Oakcrest was seeded second in the tournament. After sweeping Barrie School in the quarterfinals, the Chargers defeated Queen Anne School 3-0 in their semifinal match to reach the championship.
In the final, Oakcrest spotted Sandy Spring the first game, losing 24-26. But the Chargers came back and ran off the next three games to win the match 3-1. Jensen led the way with 7 aces, 28 kills, and 8 blocks on numerous sets by freshman setter Jackie Herrick. For her efforts, Jensen was named Tournament MVP. Junior Haley Featherstone made 43 passes and in the second game, freshman outside hitter Janey North strung together 7 straight service wins.
Oakcrest finished its first PVAC season with a 15-1 record while Sandy Spring finished the year 17-3.
In only her second year as head coach, Maggie O’Connor put together a team made up of three experienced players who had played in winter leagues in the Washington area, along with a number of newcomers who had little volleyball experience.
“A championship win is a huge accomplishment for any team," O'Connor said. "The fact that this is our first year in the league just makes it that much sweeter."
Jensen and Herrick were selected to the PVAC 1st Team All Conference and Featherstone was named to the second team all-conference. Jensen was also voted player of the year in the AA Division. A 6-foot-4 middle blocker, Jensen led the league in kills, blocks and service wins.
The Oakcrest Chargers celebrate behind the banner after winning the PVAC tournament championship.
In their inaugural season as a varsity team this fall, the Oakcrest Chargers have already won a championship.
The girls private high school volleyball team from McLean, which does not have gym to play home games, captured the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference AA Division tournament with a 3-0 record to conclude their season with a 15-1 mark.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Oakcrest defeated Sandy Spring School, 3-1, in the championship match at Washington International School, after losing the first game. Sandy Spring defeated Oakcrest, 3-0, in the Chargers’ opening match of the 2009 campaign. Then they won 15 straight to close the season.
In that tournament title match, senior middle blocker Tori Jensen led Oakcrest with seven aces, 28 kills, and eight blocks. Freshman Oakcrest setter Jackie Herrick had numerous sets.
For her efforts, Jensen was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Oakcrest junior Haley Featherstone made 43 passes, and in the second game, freshman outside hitter Janey North ran off seven straight service wins.
Last fall Oakcrest began its program as a club team, then the squad became varsity status this year under second-year head coach Maggie O’Connor.
The coach put together a team made up of three experienced players who had played in winter leagues in the Washington, D.C., area, along with a number of newcomers, who had little volleyball experience.
“A championship win is a huge accomplishment for any team,” O’Connor said. “The fact that this is our first year in the league just makes it that much sweeter.”
In its first-round tournament match, Oakcrest downed the Barrie School, 3-0. In the semifinals it defeated Queen Anne School, 3-0.
Other players making contributions for the Oakcrest team were Kathleen Donahue, Meg Gargulinski, Tara Hill, Annie Kehrli, Jean Maloney, Theresa Maloney, Francesca Sarris, Daphne Tsamouras and Katerina Wiltz.
NOTES: In early October, Oakcrest returned to Sandy Spring for another regular-season rematch. After losing the first two games, the Chargers regrouped and staged a major comeback to win, 3-2. Sandy Spring and Oakcrest both finished the season 11-1 in the AA Division and were named regular season co-champions. By virtue of a tie-breaker, Oakcrest was the tournament’s No. 2 seed and Sandy Spring No. 1 . . . Jensen and Herrick were selected to the PVAC first team. Making second team was Featherstone. Jensen was also voted Player of the Year in the AA Division. Jensen led the team and the league in kills, blocks, and service wins, and is being recruited by a number of Division I college programs . . . Oakcrest played all of its matches at either an opponent’s court or on a rented court.
