Girls volleyball: Host Hersey has it all working vs. Maine West

With its No. 3 seed in the Class 4A Maine South girls volleyball sectional, Hersey already figured to be a team to beat.

And the Huskies can't beat where they begin the state playoffs - on their home floor of the Ken Carter Gymnasium.

"It's great playing on your home court," said Hersey senior defensive specialist Liz Solans. "And with all our fans here, it's the best feeling."

The Mid-Suburban League champion Huskies (27-9) made sure their fans were feeling good after Tuesday's semifinal match in which they posted a 25-14, 25-20 victory over No. 15 Maine West (13-24).

Hersey advanced to Thursday's championship, where it will face No. 11 Schaumburg (22-14) at 6 p.m. Hersey defeated Schaumburg for the championship of its own invite 25-14, 25-15 on Sept. 19.

"It was a matter of not being overconfident, and taking every point seriously," said Solans, who made her point in the back row with 11 digs against Maine West.

The 11 digs were second only to Huskies junior libero Emma Frankiewicz, who dove all over the floor while picking up a career-best 23 digs.

"Liz (Solans) played really well," said Hersey coach Nancy Lill, after wining her 893rd career match. "She passed well and her defense was outstanding."

Junior Amy Morgan (9 digs, 1 block) was outstanding on attack, going 23-of-23 for 10 kills, one behind teammate Liz Fuerst, who was 24-of-27 with 11 kills, 8 digs and 1 block.

"Amy had a huge match," Lill added. "She really played her game and Liz, after a few errors early, was just dominant the rest of the way."

Set 1 was tied at 8 when Hersey nudged ahead 14-8 with 5 straight service points from Solans.

The lead grew to 23-11 as Maggie Riesel fired off 6 straight service points.

After Maine West senior Allison Grzebien converted a block for a point, Morgan finished the set when her smash went off a Warriors defender and hit the ceiling before falling to the floor.

Sophomore Jessica Riedl (5 kills), Grzebien (4) and senior Jordan Hart (3) led the attack for West, which received 8 assists from senior setter Hannah Kuhn.

Grzebien and Riedl led the Warriors' back row with 8 digs apiece while Carly Hart had 6.

"We started out well but then had a bad rotation," said Maine West coach Mike Cott. "We mentally lost it and didn't challenge after that. In Set 2, we still were a little out of it to start but the girls kept fighting, and digging in, and we forced them to call a timeout."

West came back form a 20-13 deficit and got to within 22-18 on an ace by Elizabeth McCabe at which point Lill called for a time out.

An ace by Riedl pulled the Warriors to within 23-20 but a kill Fuerst and ace by Riesel (9 assists, 2 aces) gave the Huskies the match.

Emma Strozewski added 13 assists for Hersey while sister Zoe produced 3 kills and 3 blocks. Katie Rozanski also had a block and kill for the Huskies.

"We competed hard and the effort was good," Cott added. "The execution just wasn't there all the time."