Girls volleyball: Fox Valley All-Area team

Haley Arnieri HuntleyThis senior was the most reliable serve receive passer for a 24-win regional championship team. The 5-foot-2 libero finished her final year of volleyball among the leaders in the highly competitive Valley Division of the Fox Valley Conference with 568 digs. The intangibles she brought to the team helped the Red Raiders as much as her stellar defense. "Haley provided us with so much leadership," Huntley coach Karen Naymola said. "She's constantly talking, telling her teammates where to go, where to attack. Overall, she was a great leader for us. She'll be hard to replace."

Frankie Cavallaro Dundee-CrownA two-year captain of the Chargers, this setter led Dundee-Crown to its best season in two decades by running an efficient offense. Cavallaro finished her junior season with 581 assists and 143 digs. A 95-percent server, she notched 23 aces and finished fourth on her team with 121 kills. "We ran primarily a 5-1 with her and we definitely utilized her aggressive nature on the net when she was in the front row," D-C coach Christine Hopkins-Muehl said. "We were very fortunate to have her experience on the court throughout the season."

Brianne Coffey Cary-GroveCommitted to Rutgers, no one pushes this 5-foot-4 libero harder than she pushes herself. "She holds herself to an extremely high standard of performance," said Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis, also Coffey's club coach. "She has learned to handle her own tough criticism and learned to focus on the moment. She's a workhorse. When she's on the court you feel at ease that she is going to get balls up and not let tips drop. She's a special kid who only knows one way to play." Coffey entered Thursday's sectional final with a team-best 532 digs and a 2.36 serve receive ratio. She also had 35 aces and 23 assists.

Aly DeTamble Burlington CentralBurlington Central's 5-foot-8 senior outside was one of the most improved players in the area this season in helping her 31-7 team to an undefeated Big Northern East championship and a second-straight regional title. She set the school single-season record for aces with 103 (entering sectional play), breaking the mark held by 2009 all-area captain Stephanie Holthus. She also had 256 points, 206 kills, 54 blocks, 396 digs and her serve receive was 95 percent free of errors. "She does it all," said Rockets' coach Marv Leavitt. "She really emerge this year after just playing back row last year. She really understands what it takes to be competitive and she's a great leader. Her serving was phenomenal. That's the most aces I've had in all the years I've coached."

Kelsey DeWulf HuntleyThis third-year varsity setter shined in her final high school season. A 5-foot-9 senior, DeWulf helped lead the Red Raiders to their second straight regional title by distributing 787 assists. The all-around performer also picked up 203 digs for a team that won 24 matches. "She's a smart setter," Huntley coach Karen Naymola said. "She knows how to put the ball where the block isn't. She makes hitters look good. There are times when she sets up the offense for us and tells everyone what free-ball plays to run. She completely takes control of the offense."

Erin Erb HuntleyThis junior punishes the ball with a powerful swing opposing blockers have learned to respect. A 5-foot-11 junior with springs for legs, Erb moved from the middle to the outside this season and led 24-win Huntley with 365 kills, including a team-high 11 kills in a regional final win over DeKalb. She also registered 232 digs and 61 aces. "The great thing is she's a junior and we'll have her for another year," Huntley coach Karen Naymola said. "She hits hard and she's such a versatile hitter that she can run the ball from anywhere. She's almost unstoppable from anywhere on the front row."

Tori Falbo Crystal Lake SouthThis 5-foot-4 libero is the backbone of a defense that enabled Crystal Lake South to repeat as champion of the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division. Entering Thursday's sectional final, the senior led the Gators with 680 digs. "It's the balls that you don't think she'll get up that she gets up," CL South coach Jorie Fontana said. "Hitters get really frustrated because they think the ball is down but Tori's got it. She's been invaluable there. She's got that reflex and that speed. And she's a joy. If she has a bad pass, she bounces right back. What we've benefitted from the most is her in-system play and her ability to track that ball no matter where it is." An accurate server (95.7 percent), Falbo has scored 12 aces.

Katie Innis South ElginSouth Elgin's senior outside had a steadying influence on a Storm team that finished the season with more than 20 wins. She had a team-leading 151 kills, 36 aces and 206 digs. "Katie was a very consistent player for us," said Storm coach Joni Plach. "I don't think she had a bad game. She played libero last year and we won 20 and then she moved to the front this year and we won 20. I knew she could hit and she really stepped in as an all-around player. She's a very smart player with a powerful hit and she could also place the ball."

Kassie Kasper JacobsA repeat all-area selection, this 5-foot-5 libero was the steadying force in the back row for the Golden Eagles. Committed to North Carolina State, the senior led Jacobs with 320 digs to go with a 2.02 passer rating. She also contributed 37 assists, 21 kills and finished as a 96-percent server with 36 aces. "She's just a wonderful leader who loves the game of volleyball," Jacobs coach Lisa Dwyer said. "She goes after balls with a never-say-die attitude and she's very coachable. She'll be missed for her all-out love of the game." A four-year varsity member, Kasper amassed career totals of 1,124 digs, 130 aces and a 2.11 passer rating.

Natalie Kofie LarkinKofie, a sophomore setter, finished the season with 554 assists, 175 digs, 73 kills, 35 aces and 25 blocks en route to earning all-Upstate Eight Conference River Division accolades. Kofie, the younger sister of former Larkin standout, 2013 Daily Herald All-Area co-captain and current starting middle blocker for Western Michigan University Olivia Kofie, also was named to the all-tournament team at Wheaton North. "Natalie stands out as a player because she is a leader as a sophomore," Larkin coach Henry Graack said. "Her teammates saw this and voted her as a captain - the first sophomore captain I have ever coached on a varsity team. She always is pushing herself and encouraging teammates with a positive attitude. As a setter, she consistently helped make bad passes into hittable sets, helping our offense run more efficiently even against better-serving teams. She also is very smart offensively. If she sees an open spot on the court she often sends the ball over on the second contact instead of setting a hitter."

Jade Martinez Harvest ChristianHarvest Christian's versatile senior libero/setter has been at the forefront of her team winning four straight regional titles, as well as 24 matches this season going into Thursday's Class 1A sectional final. Even though she missed several matches with an ankle injury and then came back to switch from setting to the libero position, she put together 228 assists (entering sectional play), 181 digs and 20 aces. "She's our captain and she's always a positive encouragement on the court," said Lions' coach Kim Floyd. "She can cover the majority of the court with her quickness and her ability to get to balls. She's a great playmaker and a great team player."

Carly Nolan Crystal Lake SouthCrystal Lake South won a Class 4A fourth-place state trophy last season and made its second straight sectional final appearance this week, thanks in large part to this athletic four-year varsity performer. Named honorable mention all-state as a junior, the 6-foot outside hitter terrorizes opposing defenses with an array of power spikes, smart tips and specialty shots. Entering Thursday's sectional title match, the honorary captain of the all-area team paced the Gators with 295 kills (. 215 hitting percentage) and 57 aces. Committed to Cincinnati, this multifaceted standout demonstrated her back-row prowess by collecting 576 digs, complemented by a 2.26 passer rating, second among CL South starters. She also contributed 61.5 blocks. "Carly has put this program back on the map, in my opinion, "CL South coach Jorie Fontana said. "When teams talk about us they say what's the difference, what's the key ingredient? Carly is it usually."

Erin Olson Cary-GroveThe latest in a long line of tremendous setters to have worn a Cary-Grove uniform, this Division-I prospect guided the Trojans to their first 30-win season and first sectional final appearance since 2011. Olson combines athleticism, determination and intelligence in a 5-foot-9 package. The junior entered Thursday's Sweet 16 match with 684 assists. She began the week with 91 kills, 180 digs and 27 aces. Her coachability is an intangible asset. "She's like a piece of clay you can mold however you want," Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis said. "You tell her what to do and she not only does it, but she makes it her own by adding on to it. She comes up with plays that wow me on the bench and I don't get wowed too often."

Abby Pierre-Louis ElginA three-year varsity starter and senior outside hitter, Pierre-Louis averaged 5.6 kills, 1.8 bocks and 1.75 digs per match for the Maroons. Pierre-Louis was a unanimous all-Upstate Eight Conference River Division selection. "Abby has the ability to get everyone on the team going," Maroons coach Scott Stewart said. "Whether it was practice or in a game, Abby's hard work ethic and hard-hitting skills provided a spark of energy that truly was contagious."

Mikayla Robinson Harvest ChristianOne of the top sophomores in the country, this fledgling outside helped the Lions to 24 wins (entering the sectional finals) and their fourth-straight regional title. She has over 200 kills and nearly 30 solo blocks and 25 block assists. "She's head and shoulder above the net," said Lions' coach Kim Floyd. "I've got so many people recruiting her. She's a special girl. She really controls the net and she's become a much better blocker." Robinson, the daughter of former Chicago Bear receiver Marcus Robinson, already has strong interest from South Carolina, Illinois and Auburn, among others.

Abby Schebel Cary-GroveThe lone remaining link to Cary-Grove's 2011 state-runner up, this four-year varsity member helped the Trojans make their first sectional final appearance in three years with her all-around play. A 5-foot-11 outside hitter, the hardworking senior entered Thursday's sectional title match with a team-leading 250 kills to go with 99 digs and 19 aces. "She's finally stepped into that role of being the offensive leader of the team and she's grown up a lot over the four years I've worked with her," Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis said. "She's become a player we can count on in a tight game to score points, and it took a lot of hard work to get to that point."

Cassy Sivesind Crystal Lake SouthA three-year varsity performer who set the Gators all the way to the Final Four last season, the ever-improving Sivesind entered Thursday's sectional final with 646 assists, 54 blocks and 131 digs. A repeat all-area selection, the 5-foot-10 senior leads CL South's starting lineup with a 95.8 serve percentage and has 10 aces. "Each year I see a more mature Cassy, a more confident Cassy, but her hands and her natural ability have been there since she was a sophomore," Gators coach Jorie Fontana said. "She's one of those people that as soon as she touched a ball you knew she was a setter. She's graceful, agile, smart. Her connections with her hitters and her ability to cater to them and push them at the same time is what's made her great."

Alexis VanHiel Burlington CentralBurlington Central's junior middle had a breakout season in helping her team to a 31-7 overall record, an undefeated Big Northern East championship and a second-straight regional title. Had a .348 hitting percentage with 127 blocks, 50 for kills (entering sectional play). "I haven't seen many middles better than her this year," said BC coach Marv Leavitt. "She's such an efficient hitter and her blocking is so strong. She learned a lot last year and improved greatly this year."

Dominique Washington St. EdwardJust a sophomore, this 5-foot-9 outside made an immediate impact for the Green Wave, helping her team to a 20-plus win season. She had 185 kills, 34 aces, 128 assists and 56 digs. "She came in as an experienced player and I tended to forget sometimes she's just a sophomore," said St. Edward coach Jaime Dovichi of her first-year varsity player. "She's a very quiet kid but she went out and got the job done."

Lauren Wiltsie Burlington CentralA 5-foot-6 outside hitter, this Burlington Central senior played more like 6-6 most of the time. She had 252 kills (entering sectional play), was 94.9 percent on serve receive, had 235 digs and 74 aces, with 25 percent of her serves going for ace for her 31-7 team that won the Big Northern East undefeated and captured its second-straight regional title. "Lauren does everything," said Rockets' coach Marv Leavitt. "She had to fight off some injuries and she's only 5-6. She was giving up 6-7 inches at the net every match. She is an incredibly smart player. She understands the game and how to score."

Honorable mentionBartlett - Danielle Santucci (Sr., S)

Burlington Central - Jenna Runde (Sr., L), Emily Bozich (Sr., RS/MH), Maddy Barry (Sr., S)

Cary-Grove - Morgan Lee (Sr., OH/RS), Allie Splitt (Jr., MH)

Crystal Lake South - Emma Burkle (Sr., MH), Kendall Kilberger (Jr., S/RS), Abby Marchewka (Sr., OH)

Dundee-Crown - Bre Novak (Jr., OH), Gina Pagano (Jr., L),

Harvest Christian - Ellie Burzlaff (Jr., OH)

Larkin - April McGhee (So., L), Danielle Newquist (Sr., OH)

Hampshire - Brittany Laffin (Sr., S), Erin Foss (Sr., OH)

Huntley - Alyson Dion (So., OH)

Jacobs - Bridget Wallenberger (Jr., MH)

St. Edward - Cece Rapp (Sr., OH/MB), Megan Barth (Jr., OH/MB), Casey Gredzieleski (Sr., S)

South Elgin - Renee Rush (Sr., OH/S)

Streamwood - Jessica Daley (Jr., L/DS)

Westminster Christian - Emma Kovachevich (Sr., S/OPP), Savannah Dutcher (Sr., MH)