Storm knocks off Elgin in regional opener

South Elgin's girls volleyball team has worked on serving all season long.

With Elgin challenging in Game 2 of Wednesday's play-in against the Storm, the hard work proved invaluable.

Tied 18 all after No. 13 seeded South Elgin dominated the opening game 25-12, the Storm notched a pair of aces and allowed the 19th-seeded Maroons just 1 more point, claiming a 25-12, 25-19 victory.

South Elgin (15-16) now gets a date with St. Charles East (24-11), the No. 3 seed in the Class 4A Lake Park sectional, at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Glenbard West regional semifinals. South Elgin played St. Charles East tough in the regular season meeting, losing a close 25-18, 25-19 match.

"My team really pulls together when we get momentum going," said Storm junior outside hitter Christie Cortese, who recorded 2 aces in the final 7 points. "Our energy was up. We pulled it back together."

South Elgin also got 2 aces from Alexa Kruel (5 kills), Hayley Bradley (4 kills) and Sarah Havemann. Havemann's first ace gave the Storm the first tie since 1-1 (14-14) of Game 2.

"That we have won more games this year," said South Elgin coach Joni Melahn, who was a former assistant coach at St. Charles East. "Our serving has improved so much. We want to serve at the team's weaker passers."

Not leading after an early 1-0 lead in Game 1, Elgin (6-21) led Game 2 until South Elgin tied the game at 14. Prior to that, Elgin had held the Storm off from tying the game 7 times.

After the 14th point, the Storm did not trail. South Elgin led until the teams tied at 18, before an Elgin hitting error and Cortese ace put the Storm up 20-18. The pattern repeated itself, with a Maroon hitting error and Cortese ace extending the Storm lead to 21-18.

Elgin scored only after South Elgin had it at match point.

"We're a better team then what you saw," Elgin coach Keith Foster said. "We didn't come ready to play."

Elgin got off to a hot start in Game 2 thanks in large part of the future of the Maroons' volleyball program. Freshman Kendall Martin, who finished with a match-high 8 kills, had 2 kills and an ace in Elgin's first 5 points. Graduating only one senior, Martin is confident of how Elgin will build off of her first season.

"We're going to build off of the mistakes we made today," she said. "We want to try to come out as a stronger team (next year)."