Hit the floor
JACKSON TWP — State College was determined to keep the volleyball away from Seneca Valley senior Bella Seman.
That's a strategy usually reserved for an outside or middle hitter, a threat so immediate that winning a point depended upon it.
But State College employed that plan against Seman — a libero, a position that is usually overlooked and forgotten.
Not this time.
“They hit away from her,” said Seneca Valley volleyball coach Karen Martini. “They saw where she was and avoided her. They didn't even serve to her.”
That respect helped propel State College to a win over the Raiders in the PIAA quad-A quarterfinals.
It also showed what kind of player Seman was for Seneca Valley this season.
Seman has been named Butler Eagle Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, edging teammate Maria Alfano and Knoch's Sarah Armahizer.
“To be a defensive player, to be a libero, you have to have a certain mindset,” Seman said. “You have to believe that no ball will hit the floor. You have to trust yourself and have no doubt.”
Seman, who will play at Elon University next season, was the epitome of that this season and throughout her career for the Raiders.
Seman had a knack for making the most difficult digs and passes with her signature roll that allowed her to hop back to her feet after a dig, ready for the next quick attack.
She also showed mental agility as well.
“It is a lot of hand-eye coordination, muscle memory and being light on your feet,” Seman said. “But it's also a lot of geometry. Knowing the angles and anticipating where the ball will go when they are hitting at you and being in the right position. The libero always has to be a step ahead of the play.”
So, how did Seman do in geometry class?
“I wasn't really the best at geometry,” Seman said, laughing.It didn't matter.Seman excelled on the court nonetheless, even in the fairly rare times she played a position other than libero.“We worked her in so many different positions,” Martini said. “She could play anywhere. She knows the back row so well, but you could put Bella anywhere.”Seman is a libero at heart, though.There hasn't been a part of her body that hasn't been bruised, bloodied or beaten.It goes with the territory of being a libero. That and padding. Lots of padding.Seman also had to have a short memory. That was something she tried to impart on her teammates.“In volleyball, you have to be able to forget about the last play,” Seman said. “You have to be able to learn from it and move on.”Seman also displayed her leadership skills this season as one of the captains.She learned a lot from unfortunate experiences in the past when team division threatened to torpedo the Raiders' goals in other seasons.“In the past we had personalities that clashed,” Seman said. “We had people who brought their conflicts with them into the gym. We weren't going to have that this year. We were not going to be fighting and working in cliques.”Seman, Alfano and fellow senior Tatum Poirier laid down the law early and paved the way for what was a harmonious season.“Maria, Tatum and I are always together,” Seman said. “We are in club season and then school season and then club season again. Sometimes it's hard to be together all the time. But we're best friends and we work things out.“It's definitely the family aspect of the team I will remember. That was very, very important to me.”
