Libertyville rolls past Carmel
Libertyville didn't win the point, which was one of the few that eluded the Wildcats, and Lizzie Apgar didn't come away unscathed.
The cost of the senior setter's slide and slam into the first row of Glenbrook North's bleachers was a bruised and scratched left shoulder, which required ice after Thursday night's sectional final. She retrieved her headband, which flew off, and hustled back onto the court.
"I don't roll very well," Apgar said with a laugh. "When I dive for the ball, I cover my head."
The fearless Apgar and her teammates are on quite a roll. Libertyville lived up to its No. 1 seed in the Class 4A Glenbrook North sectional by dispatching No. 3 Carmel Catholic 25-18, 25-16 in Northbrook. While Libertyville (33-6) earned a berth in Saturday's 2 p.m. Fremd supersectional against Crystal Lake South (32-7), Carmel ended what coach David Pazely called its best season ever with a 33-6 record.
Pazely counted an uncharacteristic 24 errors his Corsairs made.
"Libertyville came out and they didn't back off, at all," he said. "We didn't do ourselves many favors."
The determination Apgar demonstrated in the opening set, trying to save an errant ball so the Wildcats could add to their 12-6 lead, was typical of her team's effort all night.
"She goes all-out for the ball, and she's not real graceful, which makes me take a breath every time she hits the floor," said Libertyville coach Greg Loika, smiling. "She knows that I feel that way about her. She's bruised and battered, but she's a competitor. She's really tough."
Hannah Zerwas led a balanced offensive attack for Libertyville with 8 kills. The 6-foot-2 junior hitter, who didn't play volleyball until her freshman year, pounded 5 kills in the second set. She didn't start the match for the Wildcats.
"I don't know her name. Outside hitter. No. 21," Pazely said of Zerwas. "What a night for her."
Sophomore Anna Lillydahl added 7 kills for Libertyville, while Alex Basler and Erin Dunleavy contributed 3 apiece. Apgar dished out 19 assists.
"We all did a great job of getting into it," Zerwas said. "It was great. Lizzie's sets were perfect. We could all have a great connection with them."
Carmel's Gracie Schofield started the match with back-to-back kills, and the 6-foot senior didn't relent the entire match. But Libertyville had too many weapons working in sync with its setter, while libero Morgan O'Brien (14 digs) turned in her typical defensive work. Dunleavy and Mikaella Faber added 7 and 6 digs, respectively. Basler (5 blocks) and Annika Hawkinson (4 blocks) provided an intimidating block.
"I was so proud of my girls," Apgar said. "We had a lot more energy coming into the (match). We're a really well-rounded team. We didn't doubt ourselves."
Grace Butler played hurt for Carmel, as the sophomore setter/right side was still unable to swing with her usual ferocity after injuring her right shoulder in practice Monday. Due to her injury, the Corsairs ran a 5-1 offense for the second match in a row, before switching to a 6-2 attack for the second set.
The strategy didn't faze Libertyville, which erased a 3-1 deficit by scoring nine straight points, with Zerwas taking over at the net. The Wildcats' lead kept swelling, as the Corsairs started to unravel, as evident by several unforced errors.
"We said the team that's going to win tonight is the team that comes out with poise, executes and (plays) under control," Loika said. "And I thought that was us. I think it's been us the last few matches."
A kill by Schofield staved off defeat for Carmel, before Lillydahl's laser ended the match.
Schofield finished with 13 kills in another spectacular performance by the Drake recruit.
"That's what she does," Pazely said. "Big-time players show up in big-time moments. Grace Schofield - that's her M.O. She lives on the competitiveness."
Morgan Meade finished with 6 kills for Carmel. Butler lofted 12 assists, and Sierra Kepski tallied 10 digs.
Libertyville's win avenged a three-set loss in the regular-season finale for both teams.
"We just didn't play our game, and they did," Meade said. "We kept telling ourselves that we were going to fight, but then we couldn't pull through."