Boys volleyball: St. Francis tips Wheaton Academy in 3 games

The postseason loomed exactly two weeks away as the St. Francis boys volleyball team paid a visit to Wheaton Academy on Monday night.

It was a three-game battle with the Spartans prevailing 25-12, 22-25, 25-18 and both teams liking the progress they saw at a critical point of the season.

"We've overcome injuries to our middles (hitters). I'm happy with the other guys that have stepped up," said St. Francis coach Mike Lynch, whose team improved to 21-12.

The Spartans, who are the seventh seed in the Glenbard West sectional and who will host their own regional, cruised to an easy Game 1 victory. They never trailed and they led by 9 twice before Wheaton Academy (11-11) cut the St. Francis advantage to 18-11. A kill by the Spartans' Steve Burns, who finished with 13, made it 19-11 and returned the serve to his team.

St. Francis proceeded to score six of the final points including an ace by Andrew Szewczyk and kill by Timmy Pisarski, who led his team with 15.

Game 2 saw a hitting error by St. Francis tie the game at 6, and then it was all Warriors. Their biggest lead was 14-7, when Zach Upp and Chris Pena combined on a block. Later, Wheaton Academy's lead was cut to 15-14 on a hitting error. The Warriors though maintained a 2- to 5-point lead the rest of the way until a kill by Upp sealed the win.

"In the first game we had good sets and good swings, but we didn't finish," said Wheaton Academy coach D.A. Nichols. "In Game 2 we finished better and our blocking picked up. And there's speed. They needed to play at faster pace, not necessary on offense, but speed up the transition from offense to defense and that's what I was saying to them in the huddle."

The Spartans led from the start in the deciding game and led by 10, 22-12, on a kill by Phil Storto. Soon after though, a double hit, a kill by Pena and an ace by Steven Sellers pulled the Warriors to within 22-16, causing Lynch to call a timeout.

Wheaton Academy could not make a further dent and the Spartans' Conor Reinke gave his team the win and the match with a block.

"The team's confidence builds off getting the consecutive points and I think that was the difference between the second and third games," Burns said.

Lynch said he especially liked how St. Francis responded in the third game.

"In the first game we got that big lead and we got a little too complacent in the second. In the third they played like every point was game point and that's how they are capable of playing," he said.

For St. Francis, Tommy LaMantia had 15 digs, Jack McGuire had 32 assists and Reinke had 6 blocks and 3 kills.

"Last year we were a young team. The same guys are playing together now," Pisarski said.

Wheaton Academy is the 22nd seed in the Glenbard West sectional and will open postseason play at the Downers Grove South regional.

"We're completely healthy. Our setting is getting better and our passing is 10 times better," Nichols said.