With Apgar's aptitudes, Libertyville's set

It's not like Libertyville setter Lizzie Apgar lives on a farm, though this senior does have a dog and two guinea pigs at her house.

That, however, is not the end of her fondness for furry friends.

"I love animals,'' Apgar said. "I really love them."

This profound admiration has paid off with an internship at the Chicago Humane Society.

Libertyville girls volleyball coach Greg Loika knows all about Apgar's affection for animals.

"I think she's going to have a career in that field,'' Loika said. "She really has a soft spot for animals. And she's ferocious on the volleyball court."

This southpaw setter had 14 assists and 11 digs on Wednesday night.

That contribution was key as the Wildcats moved to 8-1 on the season by stopping a young Stevenson squad 25-18, 25-22 in a North Suburban Lake matchup.

Apgar noted that her team was well rested coming into this match.

"We had played Stevenson before but we didn't have a tournament this weekend, so we haven't played in awhile,'' Apgar said.

This alleged rust wore off in a hurry in set one. The Wildcats (8-1) opened a 17-11 lead and never really looked back.

Stevenson (6-8) had some trouble in set one returning serves. Mikaelle Faber was part of the reason for that, as she was serving some real shots at the Pats.

"We need to figure out how to get a little more balance,'' said Stevenson coach Tim Crow. "Yes, we are young, but we need to be mentally prepared to play on the varsity level."

Set two was clearly more entertaining. On a serving ace from Stevenson junior Isabella Milejczyk, the Pats trailed just 9-8.

"Libertyville is an experienced team,'' Crow said. "And we really have no one with experience."

With sophomore Sinead Prentiss serving, the Cats' lead looked comfortable at 18-13. Alex Basler (4 kills) chipped in a kill during this rally. Again, the set tightened up toward the end.

With Morgan Berland serving, the Pats received a kill from Jori Radtke (7 kills), and the Libertyville lead had been cut to 21-19. Crow was happy with the play of Berland, a junior.

"Morgan made some unbelievable plays,'' he said.

The Pats stayed within 2 points until the end of the match. A kill from Anna Lillydahl (6 kills) gave the Cats some breathing room, and Basler's kill ended the match for Libertyville.

Apgar has moved into the setting role for this team. And she's enjoying her position.

"I've been a setter my whole life,'' she said. "I like being in control out there. I get to call the shots."

Loika likes having a left-handed setter.

"This opens up some areas for us,'' he said. "She finds ways to exploit."

Apgar and her teammates might see some exotic animals as they head to a tournament this weekend in Effingham as teams as far away as Paducah, Kent., will make the trek.