Immaculate Conception takes regional
The Immaculate Conception girls volleyball team saved its best for last on Thursday.
The top-seeded Knights put it all together in the second game of their second match, scoring the first 11 points in posting a 25-16, 25-5 triumph over fourth-seeded Hinckley-Big Rock in the Class 1A Immaculate Conception regional final in Elmhurst.
"I'd put them in the top five in the state (in Class 1A)," Hinckley-Big Rock coach Don Watson said of the Knights. "I don't know who else there is in the state that's much stronger than that."
"When we play (St.) Francis and Rosary, that's the way we play," said IC coach Jean Field, whose club is 21-2 outside of the Suburban Catholic Conference.
It was the home team's eighth victory in a row and its second regional championship in as many years.
The Knights (26-11) advance to the Serena sectional where they will meet Newark in the first semifinal on Nov. 1. The second semifinal will pit Indian Creek against Morgan Park Academy.
Junior middle hitter Danielle Remy led IC's equal-opportunity offense in the nightcap with 9 kills to go along with 2 blocks.
MaryKate Manion contributed 5 kills, while setters Meg Kowieski and Abby West chipped in 4 apiece for the Knights.
The first game of the title match saw seven Knights record kills. Even libero Catherine Guido nailed one.
"At the beginning of the year, when we started, I told the kids that this isn't going to be a team that's going to revolve around one superstar," Field said. "They all have to do their jobs. I think that's to our advantage. If you key on our middle, we'll get you on the outside."
Guido triggered IC's offense with 18 digs.
"When Catherine's in the back row passing, we get so many good passes," Remy said. "We just have an opportunity to hit out of anywhere."
Jenna Thorp's 3 kills paced Hinckley-Big Rock (8-17), which advanced with a 25-17, 25-19 win over fifth-seeded Mooseheart (6-17).
IC earned a 25-9, 25-18 semifinal victory against sixth-seeded Illinois Lutheran (15-13) on 7 kills from Kowieski, 6 by Remy and 5 from Maggie Ryan.
"Hopefully they regroup and play better," Field said of her Knights after a so-so semifinal performance.
She got her wish in the final.
-- Dave Miller
Class 2A Luther South regional:ŒSecond-seeded Lisle (14-19) won the regional title with a 25-6, 25-14 sweep of No. 3 seed Driscoll. Sara Urban sparked the winners with 6 kills and 2 aces, Annie Antonsen had 5 kills and 8 assists and Stephanie Kelly added 9 assists.
The Lions advanced with a 25-4, 25-10 semifinal triumph over the ninth-seeded host behind Chelsea Peterson's 6 kills.
Driscoll used 5 kills by Bridget DelBoccio and 2 aces from Tyler Jozefczyk to tip sixth-seeded St. Francis de Sales 25-19, 25-23 in the semifinals.