Schaumburg goes the distance for another win

Schaumburg’s girls volleyball team won’t be home this season until Sept. 17.

But the Saxons are making themselves quite at home on the road.

For the second time in two matches, they rallied from a first-set loss to pull put a victory in a nonconference match.

This time, it was a 20-25, 25-18, 25-14 triumph over Prospect on Tuesday night at the Jean Walker Field House in Mt. Prospect.

The victory came on the heels of last week’s three-set win at Evanston.

“We’re trying to take everyone’s house until we get to our house,” said Saxons senior all-area outside hitter Kiana Lewis, who put down a match-high 7 kills.

“Honestly, I think we learn to work as a team better and trust each other more as the match goes on. And our defense really stepped up, front and back, and that’s what won the game for us.”

Junior Hannah Moore made a terrific save early in Game 3 that helped the Saxons take a 3-0 lead.

“There was no chance for that ball by her (Moore) and she got it anyway,” said Knights coach Mike Riedy. “We just didn’t have that kind of heart.

“We were not serving well, they were. Our defense fell apart, theirs didn’t. And we played to survive, they played to win.”

Junior Jada Blackwell (5 kills, 8 assists) served for 6 straight points as the Saxons (2-0) pulled away 7-0 in the final game and never looked back.

“We just push our energy up in the final two games,” said Blackwell, who was 14-of-14 serving including an ace which made it 7-0. “It’s like a roller coaster. After the first game, we realize we need to get better.”

A string of 7 straight points by setter Megan Hayes (9 assists) gave the Saxons an 18-4 lead and they went on to win 25-14 when sophomore Abbie Rahn (5 kills) put down the winner from the left side for match point.

Prospect (0-2), playing its home opener, earned the win in Game 1 after rallying form a 5-1 deficit.

With sophomore Nikki Matters serving, the Knights tied the game at 7 and then went ahead 9-7 on a kill by senior Josie Sajbel.

An ace by Maggie Chuipek and a hitting error by Schaumburg gave the hosts a 14-10 lead.

A back-to-back kill and block by Carly Thompson put the Knights ahead 20-16 and they eventually won their first game of the season when Schaumburg was called for a lift making it 25-20.

But then the Saxons began the rally in Game 2, making their big move behind the serve of Moore.

She stepped to the line in a back-and-forth game with her team leading 8-7. By the time her serve ended, the Saxons were up 17-7.

An ace started the streak which included a tip by Lewis and double block by Sam Krug and Blackwell. Moore’s serve finally ended when Thompson blocked an overpass making it 17-8.

The visitors eventually wrapped it up at 25-18 on a kill by Blackwell.

Sajbel led the Knights with 7 kills while Thompson added 5. Chuipek (8 assists) and Michelle Haaning (9) set the offense while junior Sarah Cutaia led the back row with 13 digs while Allie Skowron had 5 blocks and Thompson 3.

Senior libero Sarah Stuehm and Lewis led the Saxons’ back row with 11 digs apiece while Moore had 10. Saxons junior Oyinkan Akinola added 5 kills.

“We are capable of coming out stronger in the first game,” said Stuehm, who was 20-of-20 passing and 11-of-11 serving. “We’ve just got to do it.”

The Saxons will try to do it at the Early Bird Invite this weekend.

“The name of the game is always serve and serve receive,” said Saxons coach Jeanette Pancratz, who is beginning her 25th season at Schaumburg in addition to seven at Resurrection. “I felt we stepped up in both of those areas and improved as the match went on.

“We made some phenomenal defensive plays which were sparked by our desire to finish off the rally.”