Neuqua Valley talking about a 'special' season
The Neuqua Valley girls volleyball team wasted no time showing why this season could be the best in program history.
The Wildcats walked into Naperville North for the season opener and left with an 18-25, 25-10, 25-19 victory.
"We've been saying all along this is a special team," Neuqua Valley coach Kelly Simon said. "This is different than any team I've coached in my 13 years. There's something really special about these girls. They are just so united and just play really well together and have fun doing it. They come into practice and every moment that they're in there they are focused. They just love volleyball, and that never wavers."
While not having a dominating outside hitter, the Wildcats should prove tough to stop since they have so many weapons. Six players landed at least 2 kills against Naperville North.
"Everyone on our team is pulling equal weight this year, and I think that's why we're doing so well this early in the season," said difference maker Paige Stevens, a senior setter who will play at Iowa. "We're only going to continue to rise."
A crystal volleyball: Naperville North coach Jennifer Urban proved to be a psychic last week.
After the Huskies committed a good number of errors in their opening loss to Neuqua Valley, this is what Urban said after the match:
"I'm not worried about this group," Urban said convincingly. "I've been extremely pleased with them the last two weeks in practice, and I know you will see a very different team when we step on the court on Thursday and by the end of the season."
On that Thursday, Naperville North swept Huntley 25-20, 25-15 and Crystal Lake South 25-16, 25-22 in the Plainfield North tournament, then defeated Barrington, Rosary and Plainfield North on Saturday to win the title.
That brought the Huskies to 5-1 on the young season. It also ran Urban's career coaching record to 95-26-1.
Should be a good one: Wheaton Warrenville South will play at Downers Grove South at 6 p.m. today.
It's a rescheduling of their Aug. 30 match that was postponed by Downers South having its open house that evening.
It's also a return home for WW South coach Bill Schreier, who graduated from Downers South in 1987.
More than that, however, it's an early battle of unbeatens who both aim to reach the Class 4A state finals this year.
Downers South made a strong opening statement by winning its first match at Mother McAuley 24-26, 25-20, 25-21 fueled by Christine Bowe's 13 kills.
"The kids played really, really, really good," Mustangs coach Colleen Reagan said. "We definitely set the tone of the season, at least for us, because of the way we played."
WW South followed its sweep through the Willowbrook Invitational last weekend by winning at Naperville Central 25-20, 14-25, 25-19 in a DuPage Valley Conference opener Tuesday.
"This is a big victory for us at this juncture of the season," Schreier said. "It's not November, so we need to take this as is, but it's nice nonetheless to beat the No. 9 team in the nation (according to PrepVolleyball.com) on the road."
From left to right: It may have been surprising to some to see junior right-side hitter Megan Bray lead Naperville Central in kills against WW South with 10.
Kill leaders usually come from the outside, or left side to be directionally precise. While Naperville Central has a pair of potent outside hitters in senior Rebecca Heath and junior Emily McGee, Redhawks coach Brie Isaacson expects Bray to put down more than a typical right-side hitter's share of kills.
"I think we're pretty strong pin to pin," Isaacson said. "Our middles are new so we're working them in. They'll get there, but they need a little work, you know? It's easy to play in practice. It's something else when you've got a 6-footer on the other side staring you down.
"Megan Bray is as physical of a hitter as either of my left sides, so we're going to continue to push the ball pin to pin, get her involved. I think when you can run an offense from one side to the other, it's extremely hard to stop, but it starts with passing. … She's going to be a huge part of what we do, if we can get the ball there."
"Baby" Spartans: St. Francis coach Peg Kopec refers to her pair of young starting outside hitters as the "babies" of the team, but sophomore Kelsey Robinson and Meg Vondehaar don't look the part. Each stands 5-foot-11 and both hit the ball hard in a season-opening sweep of Montini.
Vondehaar even received a "She's a freshman" chant from the St. Francis student crowd after uncorking a big hit.
"She's so good for being a freshman," said Robinson, who was impressive herself with a match-high 9 kills. "She works really hard in practice. She's going to be really good when she's a senior."
As the youngsters of the team, Robinson and Vondehaar stick together.
"Since Meg and I are the youngest we have chemistry," Robinson said. "During practice we work with each other. If she does something wrong, I'll tell her. If I do something wrong, she tells me. She's in my class too for math. We help each other out."
Winning Warriors: Even after Wednesday's 25-14, 18-25, 25-17 home loss to Lyons Twp., Willowbrook is still off to its best start in five years at 5-4.
"They've got a lot of talent on that team this year," said Hinsdale South coach Lisa Jablonski after her Hornets rallied to beat the Warriors 14-25, 25-17, 15-12 in the third-place match of the Willowbrook Invitational last weekend. "They're a lot better."
The Warriors also began the 2002 season at 5-4 before running their record to 10-4 en route to a final mark of 19-15. It's the last time they finished above .500.
With Willowbrook's three current outside hitters -- Danielle Muhlena and sisters Caitlin and Josie Hopkins -- all being sophomores, the future looks bright for the program.
"Definitely," Warriors coach Sue Bower said.