Boys volleyball: Boylan ousts Elgin
Thunderous spikes from 6-foot-8 senior middle Courtese Cooper and big swings from 6-3 outside hitter Marcus Gonzalez weren't enough to extend the Elgin boys volleyball team's season in Hoffman Estates on Wednesday.
No. 8 Elgin pushed No. 9 Rockford Boylan in both games of a Conant regional semifinal behind 11 kills from Gonzalez and 7 from Cooper, but unforced errors took a toll in a 25-22, 25-18 loss.
Boylan (18-9) advances to Wednesday's Conant regional final against Lake Park (34-1), which defeated South Elgin 25-18, 25-20 in Wednesday's first semifinal.
Elgin's 2017 season ends with a 20-17 record. It was the second straight 20-win season for the Maroons, who have won 52 matches in three seasons.
"The boys played really, really hard. I just think we almost played too hard at some points," Elgin coach Scott Stewart said. "Little lapses like not talking or swinging it almost too hard just took us out of our normal rhythm. Not to take away from Boylan. They're a pretty good team, but I think any other day we would've had them."
Elgin trailed 17-11 in the opening set but drew within 23-22 on a left-side kill by Gonzalez, who will play next season at downstate Greenville College.
However, the Titans scored the next point when 6-6 Judson University recruit Jacob Wallin (8 kills, 3 blocks) sent a smart tip left of Elgin's double block. An Elgin hitting error then gave Boylan the first set.
The Maroons drew within 15-12 in the second set when Cooper, who will play basketball at Triton College next year, blasted a quick set from Francisco Ceballos (19 assists) at an unreturnable angle.
"Coach Stewart is always telling me to bring the energy," Cooper said, "so when I come on the court I expect myself to (elevate) the mood."
Boylan responded by scoring 5 of the next 6 points to open a 20-13 lead and never looked back. The match ended on consecutive unforced errors by Elgin.
Next up for Boylan is Lake Park, a team that has reached the state finals each of the last two years.
"We just have to be positive all game and I don't think that anyone can stop us," Wallin said of the matchup. "Even when we're down or when we miss a hit, we just have to bring each other back up."