Girls volleyball: Dundee-Crown earns repeat title at West Chicago
Sometimes trying to enjoy the moment a little bit more can help alleviate the stress of high school athletics.
After experiencing a pair of 3-game matches in pool play, Dundee-Crown girls volleyball coach Christine Hopkins-Muehl was hoping her team would take a lighter approach into the semifinals of Saturday's Pass, Set & Spike tournament at West Chicago.
The laid-back strategy worked to perfection, as the Chargers (13-2) downed Woodstock 25-14, 26-24 in the semifinals before repeating as tournament champions following an impressive 25-12, 25-16 title triumph over the host Wildcats (10-5).
"We had a little struggle in the beginning part of the tourney," said Hopkins-Muehl. "We started off a little bit slow and sluggish. Maybe they were putting too much pressure on themselves.
"They started realizing they had to play more for fun and not be as stressed out. That started happening in the Woodstock game in the downstairs gym. We came up here (Bishop Gym) and said, 'hey, go for it, guys.' "
Led by 5-foot-11 senior setter Frankie Cavallaro and 5-10 teammates Breanna Novak (6 kills) and Ayana Gard (5 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces), the Chargers went on an 11-0 surge to secure Game 1 against the Wildcats.
"In pool play, we had some kinks we were trying to work on," said Cavallaro, who had 10 of her tournament team-high 41 kills in the championship match. "When it comes down to it, we go to our outlets and we do what we do best. I think blocking was the most important aspect of that game for us."
Cavallaro basically did it all for the Chargers, finishing the tourney with 64 assists, 17 digs, 8 blocks and 6 aces, including the match-clincher against the Wildcats.
"We kind of gave her our own little tournament player of the day," said Hopkins-Muehl. "She was on point for sure with her hits today. She doesn't always think she's a hitter but she definitely is and we definitely need her to be for us.
"She's very strong all the way around and with keeping her team composed."
The Chargers also received solid contributions from Ali Buckley (65 assists, 21 digs, 6 aces), Emma Brant (21 kills, 13 blocks, 6 aces), Ashley Raby (20 kills, 5 blocks), Kailey Moll (16 kills, 7 blocks), Novak (24 kills, 34 digs) and Gard (30 kills, 32 digs, 13 aces, 6 blocks).
"We're trying to get on a nice little roll here," said Hopkins-Muehl. "We've got Huntley on Thursday and that's going to be a very hard game."
Sophomore outside hitter Laura Katarzynski had 11 kills in the title match for West Chicago, which outlasted St. Viator (25-22, 22-25, 25-23) in the semifinals and placed second with a 4-1 record.
"We had an awesome match against St. Viator," said Wildcats coach Kris Hasty. "I don't know if that took a little bit out of us mentally to come right back to the championship (match). For the most part, we had a great day.
"They're a great blocking team," Hasty said of the Chargers. "We have to be a little bit more creative in how we're going to score against a big block."
Bartlett claimed fifth place with a 25-23, 25-18 win over Elgin while Fenton defeated Larkin 25-20, 25-16 for seventh place.