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Sexton helps Wauconda past Warren

She dives for a volleyball about as often as she cuts her hair.

"It's 3 feet long," Wauconda 6-foot-2 senior middle blocker Sara Sexton said of her thick black locks, which nearly reach her waist. "I measured it a couple of weeks ago."

Wednesday night, with her volleyball team locked up in a competitive opening set with host Warren, Sexton measured up a ball after a shanked pass. She left her feet and went airborne, hair flying.

Sexton couldn't dig the ball, however, and Wauconda lost the point.

"We won in our hearts," Sexton quipped.

Wauconda won on the scoreboard, too. Sexton's 13 kills made sure the Bulldogs didn't have a long night, so to speak, as they won 25-22, 25-14 in a North Suburban Conference crossover at Warren's Almond Road campus.

"When I dove there, that was rough," Sexton said. "Me being a middle, it's really awkward whenever I dive. So (laughing) it was really interesting ."

LeAnne Sakowicz had 7 kills, 16 assists and 7 digs for Wauconda (19-3). Kayla Wedl, who missed Wauconda's recent tournament due to a softball commitment, also had 7 kills.

"She played well," Wauconda coach Alison Williams said of the senior, who's committed to play softball for Illinois-Chicago. "She was swinging away and doing her job. She amazes me every year because she doesn't play a lot of volleyball (due to softball). I don't know how she does it. She's just super athletic."

Wauconda was up 17-11 in the opening set, but Warren (11-11) caught up and grabbed a pair of one-point leads, only to fall behind for good when a long hit snapped a 21-21 tie. Sexton hammered a kill to end it.

"We do that a lot," coach Julie Filippo said of her Blue Devils' ability to rally but then come up short.

"I think we got a little comfortable, and (Warren) caught up," Williams said. "We've been working a lot on finishing because we don't always do a great job of that. I think at that point (late in the first set), they just said, 'We're going to finish today.' "

Jenna Walczak had a team-high 6 kills for Warren, while Kim Hengesh totaled 4 kills and 2 blocks. Claire Lundtveit recorded 3 kills, and Nicole Berzin delivered 9 assists.

Wauconda also got 3 kills from Haley Meyer, 11 assists from Catie Petralia, 8 digs from Corrina Vaughan and 7 digs and 2 aces from libero Ashley Anderson. Five kills from Sexton and an ace from Jane Sakowicz helped the Bulldogs bolt to a 12-2 lead in the second set. Warren never got closer than 9 points after that.

"They're very good," Filippo said of the Bulldogs. "We got talent. We're just hurting defensively. I'm waiting for them to click."

Sexton likes her team's mix of veteran talent, which includes eight seniors, and varsity newcomers. The Bulldogs are clearly a tight-knit group.

"We're all a big family," a smiling Sexton said. "It's so cute."

  Warren's Kim Henegesh tries to keep the ball alive during Wednesday's volleyball game against Wauconda in Gurnee. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
  Wauconda's Kayla Wedl (1), LeAnne Sakowicz (18) and Hayley Redmann (10) celebrate a point against Warren on Wednesday night in Gurnee. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
  Wauconda's Haley Meyer (17) and LeAnne Sakowicz (18) keep a sharp eye on the ball hit by Warren's Claire Lundtveit during Wednesday's vollyeball match in Gurnee. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
  Warren's Kayla Klemz (9) tries to squeak the ball past Wauconda's Kayla Wedl (1) during Wednesday's volleyball match in Gurnee. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
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