In what became a familiar sight in the Class 2A West regional final on Friday, Glenelg's Sarah Tursell elevated her 6-foot-1 frame toward a Tara Stradling set, before sending a helpless volleyball bounding hard into the open court.
It was an overwhelming display of power, timing and skill for the senior middle hitter, who helped the No. 2 Gladiators clinch their second straight regional crown with a commanding 19-kill and five-block performance in a four-game win over Centennial.
On a team that prides itself on balance and depth, Tursell leads the undefeated Gladiators (18-0) in kills (about three per game), aces and blocks. Her talents will be on display tomorrow at 6 p.m. when Glenelg faces J.M. Bennett in the 2A state semifinals at CCBC-Essex.
But the physical part of volleyball has never been the hard part for Tursell, who has become one of the top offensive forces in the area only after learning to better manage her emotions.
Two years ago, a serve into the net, a botched pass or dig, or a spike attempt that bounced off the gym's back wall, was enough to take Tursell out of her game.
That has changed thanks to a couple of factors - most notably the steadying influence of Gladiators coach Jennifer Beall.
"I've learned to lighten up and have much more fun playing," said Tursell. "I was a headache. I'd miss a dig and I used to cry or tear up on the court, but I've gotten away from that. ... Jen has made me understand the game and taught me that even the best volleyball players make mistakes."
That problem may have started as a freshman, when Tursell, then 5-11, made Glenelg's varsity team and was the starting middle hitter for a team that suffered through a 6-11 season.
Fresh from a collegiate volleyball career at Barton College in North Carolina, Beall joined the fold as head coach in Tursell's sophomore season, and the results were immediate. The Gladiators finished two games over .500 and Tursell was on her way to becoming a star.
"When I walked in, I knew she was going to be good," said Beall. "She was tall and really unorthodox, but she really hadn't had a lot of coaching. You could tell the talent was raw, but with some work, it was going to come out.
"She's come so far. She's more of a leader now, drawing people in. I just think it's confidence."
Tursell started playing the sport in eighth grade and joined a Columbia club team shortly thereafter, when somebody noted that her height would make her a standout.
But she has since added other aspects to her game. The sight of Tursell in the back row, receiving serve, diving on the floor and digging up opponents' shots, is nearly as common as Tursell's aggressive approach to the net to put the ball away.
"She's unbelievable, oh my goodness," said Mount Hebron coach Michael Moynihan. "She hits outside, middle, serves, digs. Please."
Said Stradling: "I feel comfortable setting her because she can put the ball down from anywhere. We know we can go to her. She keeps this team together."
She did just that in the county championship match. The Vikings had done what was akin to the impossible in Howard County. They took Game 3 from the Gladiators - the first game Glenelg had lost to a conference foe all season - and according to the players, the mood in the huddle after the setback bordered on despair.
But when they took the court for Game 4, there was Tursell sharing a laugh with Stradling and junior Michelle Morgan, before urging her teammates on.
There was Tursell motioning to the Glenelg student section to pick up the volume. There was Tursell going up high to block Vikings hitter Connie Pikounis, followed by an enthusiastic round of high-fives for all her teammates.
"I think I'm doing well holding together for my team," said Tursell, who captains the Gladiators with Stradling. "I'm not in a position to get down. A lot of weight falls on me to get them up and keep them up."
Tursell described her team as 12 sisters, and she has given the younger Gladiators plenty to look up to. An honorable mention Maryland Distinguished Scholar, Tursell has an unweighted 4.0 GPA and scored a 1,300 on her SAT.
Having already decided on a career in computer science, Tursell has applied for a scholarship from the Department of Defense. If selected, Tursell, who has narrowed her college choices to Georgia Tech, Delaware, Syracuse, Michigan and Purdue, will get a full scholarship.
She said she will try to walk-on the volleyball team, and Beall has little doubt that Tursell can contribute to a Division I team right away.
But for now, there is the unfinished business of bringing Glenelg its first state volleyball title since 1995. As they have done all season, the Gladiators will follow Tursell's lead.
"When the girls see a 6-1 girl diving all over the floor, it's contagious," said Beall. "She treats everybody as an equal and for them to see their captain encouraging them instead of putting them down, it's just awesome to see."