Thinking Pink

Colonels ride wave of support to crush goal, defeat Handley

By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — The pink bandannas, bows, face paint and letters and numbers on their white uniforms showed just how much the James Wood High School volleyball team had prepared for Tuesday’s Dig Pink breast cancer awareness night.

But nothing the Colonels did could prepare them for the overwhelming support from the ocean of pink that covered the Donald H. Shirley Gymnasium bleachers.

A few minutes after fans gave a loud ovation to the half dozen breast cancer survivors who were asked to stand before the Northwestern District match, the Colonels rode that wave of emotion in impressive fashion.

Led by seven service points and four aces from Eleanor Kent — whose mother Dena was one of those who stood up — the Colonels scored 16 of the first 19 points and defeated Handley 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-16).

“I think [the fans] really created momentum for us,” said Colonels libero Cady Schaffer, who had a team-high eight digs and whose mother, Diana, is also a breast cancer survivor. “It was more than I expected.

“I didn’t think that many fans would wear pink, especially the guys. They really supported us.” Spectators also supported the fundraising drive — which is run by the Side-Out Foundation — in a big way.

James Wood went into the project hoping to raise $500. But at the night’s conclusion, coach Jill Lester said $2,514 had been raised from Tuesday’s effort as well as from prior donations. That number doesn’t include proceeds from Tuesday’s admission or concessions.

“We weren’t quite sure what to expect,” said Lester, whose team improved to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in the district. “But I’m just really excited and happy that we were able to contribute as much as we were able to contribute.”

In the locker room just prior to taking the court, Lester began to cry when she told the team — whose jersey backs were adorned with names of breast cancer survivors — that they were playing for more than just their district standing. They needed to play hard for the cause, including the survivors in the building — people whose pictures fans could see just after dropping money into the donation cans out front and just before they had the option to have their hair sprayed pink.

Kent said it was a memorable speech, and she used it to toss in some memorable serves that kept the Colonels rolling.

With James Wood up 9-3, she recorded the first of her team-high eight aces, and she ended her run of seven straight service points with a low dipping shot that handcuffed the Judges as it made its descent.

Kent’s serving also proved critical at match’s end.

After Handley rallied to within 18-15 in the final set, a long serve from the Judges’ Colleen Koppenhaver put the ball back in Kent’s hands. She put Wood ahead 23-15 with four points, her first two serves resulting in passes that had Handley players scrambling off the court for the second hit.

Handley coach Lindsay Hazelette said the Colonels’ serving placement and spin on their jump serves was just a part of the Judges’ problem Tuesday.

“We were never really able to run our offense tonight,” said Hazelette, who was missing starting setter Diana Kellam because of flu-like symptoms. “[Kellam] being absent was a big loss.

“I think our defense got better throughout the night, but we really just watched too many balls drop.”

Hazelette, who received six kills from Kara Dixon and eight assists from Megan Kish, said she was proud of how the Judges (5-9, 0-4) fought back from that first-set deficit, but the Judges too often ran out of steam at the end of sets.

Handley rallied from a 16-7 deficit in the third, but ultimately, Carly Mullin (25 assists) flicked a pink-and-white ball for a kill to put the exclamation point on an emotional night.

“It’s really great to play for someone I love so much,” said Kent, sporting “Mommy” on the back of her jersey. “I felt really great that I could make her proud tonight. She’s watching me and I’m watching over her, and I’m going to do anything and everything to make her proud.”

Dena Kent was just a few yards away as her daughter spoke, and the smile on her face showed that her daughter has more than accomplished that feat.

“The whole team just did a wonderful thing,” said Kent, 50, an eight-year survivor. “It’s wonderful for breast cancer, it’s wonderful for women. It really touched a lot of us. The whole James Wood community put so much effort into it. A lot of volunteers did a lot of work with the silent auction, and sponsors came through to help raise money.

“The community really supported it. There were a lot of people here that don’t always come to the games.”

Kent added that an important fact for people to know is that 90 percent of breast cancer is not hereditary, and that’s it’s essential that women test themselves early and often.

On the court, James Wood received contributions from multiple sources. Emily Shannon led with 12 kills, and Amanda Shaughnessy, whose grandmother Linda Dove is a breast cancer survivor, ended the second set with a kill.

It was important to get those, but Tuesday wouldn’t have been complete without all the off-court contributions.

“There were people helping out tonight that I don’t even know,” Lester said. “I don’t even know some of the people walking around with cans collecting donations.

“It’s just a great, great thing for this community. It’s so inspiring.”

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.