Stevenson taking baby steps

volleyball team played its sloppiest match of the season last Monday in a home loss to Hersey.Five days later, the Patriots won all five matches at the Stevenson Volleyball Invitational. It was a satisfying end to a week that began with a lot of question marks.Stevenson was frustrated with the way it was playing, and for the rest of the week the girls had some of their best practices of the season.In the span of about six hours Saturday, the Patriots went from a .500 team to a team sporting a 10-5 record."We identified what we were not doing well, and we were able to turn it around," senior middle blocker Amanda Fleishman said. "We worked so hard in practice so Saturday's (success) felt really good. It gives us a good feeling for how the rest of the season can hopefully go."Coach Tim Crow was hoping for a breakthrough performance at the tournament after watching the team get after it in practice. Libertyville and Antioch were the only teams that extended the Patriots to three games."We did a lot of skill work and ball control," he said. "We talked to the girls about certain situations that had hurt us and it was great to see them apply that to the games on Saturday. That had a lot to do with our success."Junior Mary-Kate Fritzsche played well in all phases throughout the tournament.Fritzsche was a reserve last year on Stevenson's conference championship team. Although she did not receive a lot of playing time, she said her game improved steadily."It was a good experience, and I was able to learn a lot," she said. "I improved a lot from hitting against a bigger block."Fleishman was one of those players supplying that bigger block. Her role has expanded this season, since the Patriots are trying to attack even more from the middle.Senior setter Hannah Burke has started to click with Fleishman and the rest of the girls. Burke set on the junior varsity team last year."She's a very good athlete and she makes good decisions," Crow said. "She keeps getting better."It took some time for the girls this season to get to know each other on and off the court."We didn't have too many experienced players at the varsity level," Crow said. "They had to get used to each other to get that confidence and chemistry going."To that end, the girls had an early-season sleepover."It was more of a team-over because we never really slept," Fleishman said. "We got to know everyone better and it was a lot of fun."One of the items on the agenda was making Stevenson varsity volleyball tie-dye shirts. The girls also made one for Crow's daughter, 8-month-old Tylea."It was a little big for her, but she can grow into it," Burke said.Just like the way the Patriots are growing on the court.