PHCC volleyball team off to nationals again

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 6, 2001

NEW PORT RICHEY -- When it comes to Pasco-Hernando Community College volleyball, history keeps repeating itself.

Coach Sam Cibrone's prediction that his team would finish runner-up to No. 1-ranked Miami-Dade Community College in the state tournament came true Saturday, marking the third consecutive season of that 1-2 finish.

"We lost to Miami-Dade (in the final)," Cibrone scoffed. "Go figure.

"But we're going to the national tournament, so I'm pretty pumped up."

The Conquistadors have played in the state tournament in each of their 11 years of existence and advanced to the nationals twice. They finished 15th in 1999 and 11th last season.

PHCC (29-9) won three straight games in the double-elimination series at Brevard CC in Titusville before losing to Miami-Dade 30-14, 30-19, 30-18.

The Conquistadors opened with a close win (30-26, 30-25, 28-30, 30-27) over Hillsborough CC, a team they beat three times in the regular season.

Next came back-to-back wins over Pensacola JC (30-23, 30-10, 30-25 and 30-24, 32-30, 30-24). Erin Stoen's block clinched that 32-30 win which Cibrone called "a huge game."

Stoen had a team-high 41 kills in the series, but unlike teammates Cat Cline and Kim Yaney was not named to the all-tournament team. Cline had 32 kills and 42 digs while Yaney had 93 assists.

Nicole Cattrysse also contributed with a .500 hitting percentage.

A FAST LAST: Saint Leo cross country runner Scott Langen saved the best for last by turning in a personal best in the final race of his career.

Langen placed 68th in Saturday's NCAA Division II South Region race at Atlanta, completing the 10,000-meter run in 36 minutes, 37 seconds.

Saint Leo's other finishers at the regionals were: Scott Habershaw, 78th, 37:13; Women's 6,000-meter run -- Mary Beth Morrison, 103rd, 29:31, and Katie Etchison, 111th, 30:58.

SOUR NOTES: The men's and women's soccer teams at Saint Leo concluded their seasons Saturday with the men dropping a 3-1 decision to Florida Southern and the women losing 4-1 to Flagler.

The men lost five of their final six games to finish 8-8-2 while the women, who did not win a match in their inaugural season, went 4-14 in their second year.

Jason Brando, Mike Zoumberous and the Adams brothers, Stash and Steve, closed out their careers. Stash Adams was third in team scoring with 5 goals and 1 assist for 11 points. Zoumberous (1 goal, 5 assists, 7 points) was fifth.

Freshman Anthony Rosso (10-4-24) was the Lions' leading scorer.

Kate McKenna (7-2-16) led the Saint Leo women in scoring with Caron Lumbra (5-4-14) second and Angie DeAngelis third (2-2-6).

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