PROVIDENCE — Led by 17 kills and 10 digs from sophomore standout Maile Somera, the top-seeded Barrington High School girls’ volleyball team swept fifth-seeded Mount St. Charles, 3-0, in the Division I tournament semifinals at the Murray Center Thursday evening, Nov. 17.

The Eagles, the reigning Division II champs who improved to 19-1 in their first year back in the state's top tier, won by the scores of 25-15, 27-25, 25-9. Barrington advanced to the D-I championship match Saturday, Nov 19, back at RIC at 4 p.m.

To begin the match Thursday, the Eagles dominated early and often until the Mounties put together a run in the second game that forced Barrington to eek their way out of that game to give themselves a 2-0 lead. Barrington would proceeded to show why they have been the best team in the state as they won the final game in convincing fashion.

“You have to have a go to player if you are going to make it this far and she (Somera) has been just that,” Barrington head coach Ron Enos said.

The Eagles set some plays up for Somera who helped get Barrington an early 6-2 lead. Back-to-back errors for the Eagles helped Mt. St. Charles climb back into the game, but they still trailed 8-6. Barrington proceeded to take charge of the game again highlighted by a long rally that ended in a Somera kill. Another kill from Courtney Howarth and the Eagles earned a 13-7 lead which forced the Mounties to take a timeout.

After the break in action, the Mounties took advantage of some Barrington errors which lead to the Eagles’ lead being cut to 17-14, forcing Coach Enos to call his first timeout. Back-to-back kills from Somera and Anna Wilson-Wuestefield right after the quick timeout got the Eagles back in charge as the number one seed took a 20-14 lead. Two aces from Emilia Dell’Antonio and one kill from Victoria Mello put Barrington up one game to none as they won the first game in convincing fashion.

To start the second game, the Eagles fell behind 2-0 before a dig from WilsonWuestefield and block from Somera helped them gain a 6-2 lead. Barrington proceeded to go on a run of seven points in a row that was highlighted by back-to-back-to-back aces from Somera and a kill from Wilson-Wuestefield to put the Eagles back in firm control by a score of 15-7 as Mt. St. Charles took another timeout.

The Mounties would answer right back as the fifth seed scored four out of five points to shrink the Eagles’ lead to 19-14 as Barrington called a timeout. A 7-2 run by the Mounties allowed them to climb back into the game, cutting Barrington’s lead to 23-21 as the Eagles called a timeout. As both fans got loud, the teams exchanged kill after kill which eventually led the game to a 25-25 tie. One point later, Somera earned a kill which gave her a game point that they took advantage of to take a 2-0 lead.

“Thankfully we comeback because it is all about momentum in this games and who knows what happens if he lose that,” Coach Enos said.

To start the third and what would be the final game, the Eagles got off to a fast start due to an ace from Howarth and a kill from who other than Somera that helped give Barrington an early 8-0 lead. The Eagles would never look back as reality started to set in for Mt. St. Charles. One last kill from Wilson-Wuestefield and Barrington could celebrate going to the D-I championship game against the winner of the Coventry and North Kingstown semi played later Thursday.

“We will be honored to play either of them,” Coach Enos said. “Historical two of the best in the history of girls’ volleyball and to be playing against either of them for a championship is incredible.”

Barrington suffered its only lost to North Kingstown on September 30 while the Eagles beat defending D-I champ Coventry, 3-0, in a game on September 23.