Sycamore outlasts Geneva in battle of WSC unbeatens
The lights went out during the introductions at Sycamore Thursday night, much to the delight of a large home crowd coming out to see their undefeated Spartans host Geneva in a key Western Sun Conference girls volleyball match.
A flip of the switch turned the lights back on -- not like at some gyms where you wait five or 10 minutes for the lights to get back to full strength.
The momentum then seemed to switch back and forth just as easily for 3 games between the Vikings and Spartans, with Sycamore getting hot at the right time late in the third game for a 25-19, 13-25, 25-21 victory.
The win gives Sycamore (9-0, 4-0) sole possession of the Western Sun Conference lead, while Geneva (8-2, 3-1) went home with its first conference loss.
Geneva looked like it was riding the momentum from its Game 2 win when it led 8-4 early in Game 3, only to see Sycamore pull away from a final 15-15 tie with a key 6-1 spurt.
"I thought both teams played real well," Geneva coach KC Johnsen said. "In a match like this, there were a lot of 1-point, boom, boom, we really got the momentum and they took it right back."
During the decisive run in Game 3, Sycamore middle hitter Sam Thrower came up with 3 kills to help open the lead.
The Spartans also beat Geneva four times with tips to the same spot that opened up because of the attention the Vikings paid to Sycamore's big hitters.
"We feel that's something we can learn from," Johnsen said. "I want them (Sycamore) to do that instead of take the big swings because we are going to turn most of those balls around and score."
The match pitted a pair of Division I setters: Geneva's Jenny Pokorny (Valparaiso) and Sycamore's Caitlin Johnson (Drake).
Pokorny led Geneva with 28 assists to go with 5 kills, 3 blocks and 13 digs. Betsey York (12 digs), Megan Odenthal (12), Taylor Whitley (11) and Lauren Wicinski (11) also finished with double-figure digs in a contest that featured great defense by both teams.
"It will always be like that with Geneva," Sycamore coach Debbie Klock said. "They are going to come in and play hard every time. They are a great team to play. They knew we were playing for the title."
The night opened with 2 games within Game 1. The first was about as even as possible -- a 14-14 deadlock with 11 ties at that point and no team leading by more than 2 points.
Momentum switched to Sycamore's side when Johnson stepped up to serve. She rattled off 7 straight points -- helped by Diane Kasper's 2 kills and a couple Geneva mistakes -- for a 22-14 lead.
Odenthal's ace brought Geneva within 22-17, but the Vikings couldn't overcome the 8-point hole.
"Our advantage was of course Sam and our seniors," Klock said. "Those seniors made good mental decisions. Their sophomores hit hard but they knew they were taking a risk of hitting out."
Game 2 mirrored Game 1, except it was Geneva breaking open a tight game. Tied at 11, the Vikings started to take control, and got a lift from Alex Manetas off the bench with a 4-point service run.
Pokorny was everywhere during the run, setting up Wicinski (15 kills) and putting away a couple kills herself. She also had a winner while falling down to stop a Sycamore kill, sending the ball right back over the net and into an open spot deep on the Spartans side.
Pokorny closed out Game 2 serving the final 6 points.
"She's about as good of setter as there is," Johnsen said. "We couldn't ask for anything more from that position than what she gives us."
A big crowd turned out to see the Western Sun showdown. Last year Geneva won the conference title, ending Sycamore's run of four straight championships that dates back to the Suburban Prairie.
Geneva-Sycamore is quite a rivalry, one that will be resumed again Oct. 9 in Geneva.
"These are the matches that are fun to play," Johnsen said. "That's how it ought to be."