Before the tie-breaking fifth game of their Class 3A state semifinal match against Towson Tuesday night at the University of Maryland’s Ritchie Coliseum, River Hill seniors Sarah Gordon and Laura Whitney stepped aside from their huddled teammates and had a mini-huddle of their own.

In each of the past two seasons, River Hill has made it to the state semifinals and then lost. In 2007, the Hawks lost to North Hagerstown in four games. Last year, with a 2-0 lead over Rising Sun, and a 24-19 lead in the third game, River Hill let the advantage slip away, losing the next two game and the match in a painful meltdown.

“This year it was a new team, and we really didn’t want to think about last year. But it was always in the back of our minds ... for the entire past year it’s always been in the back of my mind,” Whitney said.

Added Gordon: “We just said, ‘This is the year we’re going to change it. We’re going to go out there in that fifth game and we are going to change it.’ ”

Gordon, who had 17 kills, and Whitney, who had 26 digs, turned those words into action as they led River Hill to a 15-12 Game 5 win, helping the Hawks advance to the state championship match for the second time in school history, and first since 1999.

The Hawks will play Northern, of Calvert County, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a bid to win the first volleyball state championship in school history.

River Hill won the first game on Tuesday night, 25-16, but then lost the next two games, 27-25 and 25-19. Another state semifinal match seemed to be slipping through the Hawks’ fingers, as they made 10 errors and recorded only 12 kills in the third game.

But in the fourth game, they played like a team that did not want to lose for a third year in a row. The Hawks made 18 kills with only three hitting errors, winning 25-18



The Hawks' sharp play carried over to Game 5, where they took a 13-7 lead on a five-point serving run by junior Megan Rosburg (13 kills) and closed out the match on junior Sarah Okey’s 17th kill.



Sophomore Caitlin Davis (31) and junior Carolyn Kleinberger (22) teamed for 53 assists for River Hill.

The Generals were led by seniors Emma Muhvich (12 kills, 25 digs) and Kat Lincalis (45 assists), and sophomore Lauren Bosse (12 kills).



“They threw everything they had at River Hill, and it was just not enough, which was so frustrating. It was a roller-coaster match,” Towson coach Emily Berman said. Her team lost to Centennial in last year’s state title match.

River Hill defeated Centennial in this year’s 3A East regional championship.

A team effort

In addition to the offensive efforts of season leaders Okey, Rosburg and Gordon, the Hawks got a boost from some less heralded sources in Tuesday night's win.

Senior Nikki Piper, the team's second middle hitter, provided 10 kills in only 22 attempts. And junior Melody Nazari, who can play outside or middle, added another five, including a pivotal kill in the fifth game to give her team a 7-3 lead.

But perhaps the Hawks' most unlikely source of kills Tuesday night was sophomore setter Caitlin Davis, whose three kills in game four helped reverse her team's slide in the previous two games. She had five total. While normally setting her teammates, Davis sometimes lines up on the right side and swings away on sets from Carolyn Kleinberger, the team's second setter.

"We've all kind of noticed that we have that outlet as well, because she's seeing the court and she's making the adjustments on her hits," coach Sybil Modispacher said.

Last year River Hill had only one senior on the roster, but it was an important one: Player of the Year Becky Paynter, who had over 1,715 assists in her career as River Hill's setter. Davis hasn't had to fill those shoes on her own — she and Kleinberger have worked in tandem — but the sophomore has impressed her teammates.

"When I think of Caitlin I think: dependable. I trust her a lot. As a hitter (trust) with your setter is absolutely vital. I feel that with her," Gordon said. "Nikki (Piper) and I would agree that we're lucky to have two setters that we have such great chemistry with."

Davis has a twin sister on the team, outside hitter Kelly. And they aren't the only pair of twins on the team. Juniors Angela and Nicole Rusconi are both defensive specialists.

The newcomer

Tuesday night was not only Megan Rosburg's first trip to the University of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum, it was her first trip to College Park.

"That was pretty cool in itself," said Rosburg, whose family moved here from Atlanta last winter. "It was enjoyable just being out there, and before the game you just kind of take a deep breath and you look around, and (I thought) there is no other team I'd rather be out here with than these girls. That's what pulled us through. We want to win for our seniors. We want to get to the state finals."



A previous encounter

Towson and River Hill had one common opponent this season — Centennial. Towson played Centennial in the Bulldog tournament at North Caroline High School.

"We won our first game against Centennial and it was like 'state championship here we come' because if you can beat Centennial in this area, you're good to go,” said Towson coach Emily Berman. “And (River Hill) beat Centennial (in the regional championship). I think they're good to go."

For more video from this match, visit youtube.com/user/ExploreHoward

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