ECC says home sweet home

A quick glance at the Elgin Community College women's volleyball schedule wouldn't show many home dates.

ECC played just four home matches this season prior to Tuesday's Region IV quarterfinals against Waubonsee Community College, so the Spartans wanted to make the most of the finale.

"All of our home games, we have played so low and down," ECC setter Kristin Kramer said. "We were determined to get this done in three games."

The Spartans' determination paid off in a big way as ECC downed WCC 30-15, 30-23, 30-16 to advance to Friday's semifinal match against the winner of Blackhawk College and Carl Sandburg College at 2 p.m. at Lake County College.

After turning the program around from a year ago, the Spartans (28-15) aren't looking to quit Friday.

Several times in the match, WCC (8-25) looked to have a sure point off a kill from one of its outside hitters. Just as quickly as the Chiefs put the ball into play, an ECC defender would make a one-handed diving dig, put the ball back in play and eventually give ECC the point.

Leading 10-8 in the final game, Larkin alum Jackie Wojciechowski dove to keep the ball in play for ECC, after WCC had sent another hard kill into the Spartans' back row, Ilse Belmonte (6 kills) made the diving effort to keep the save.

"We're really scrappy," Belemonte said. "We do that a lot in practice. It helps to get everything you can."

Heather Kenny finished with 21 kills and 9 blocks for th Spartans, Jaclyn Brannon added 16 kills and Kramer had 39 assists. ECC finished with 9 aces, but it was the defensive effort, including Kramer's dig off of the announcer's table which killed WCC.

"That was rough," Chiefs' outside hitter Audrey Feltz said. "Whenever we hit it good, they'd get it. They won it with the little dinks."

ECC's defensive efforts were led by 20 digs from libero Staci Holthus, a Burlington Central grad, and Belmonte added 16. St. Charles East grad Tracey Enzenbacher added 12 digs in the victory. But it was Holthus' efforts that allowed the Spartans to get the offensive attack going

"That's our defense," ECC coach Andy Jaszczurowski said. "Stacy is the hub of that. She reads the play and comes up with the ball."

Belmonte took control of the serve with ECC leading 15-12 in Game 1. When she was finished, WCC was down 21-13. The Spartans went on to close the game out on a 7-2 run, setting the tempo for the rest of the match.

"It was tied 13-13 and then they went on a 12-2 run," Chiefs' coach Dana Wagner said. "That sinks you."