Geneva playing for a good cause

Geneva's girls volleyball team bounced back from its first Western Sun loss by beating Kaneland 25-16, 25-20 Thursday, and that might have been the third best part of Lauren Fanning's night.

Fanning was one of four seniors honored before the match, along with Alex Manetas, Lizzy Overath and Taylor Whitley.

"It's been a great place to play," Fanning said.

Fanning's last home game also marked Geneva's first turn at hosting Volley for a Cure. Both the Vikings and Knights wore pink T-shirts to raise awareness, and money, for breast cancer research.

That was especially meaningful for Fanning, who had a club coach that overcame breast cancer.

"I'm really glad to be part of this, it's for a great cause," Fanning said. "It means a lot."

Despite Tuesday's loss to Sycamore, Geneva (24-4, 11-1) will enter the final week of Western Sun play next week in good position. The Spartans and Glenbard South both have three losses to sit a game behind Batavia with two losses. The Bulldogs have games left against Geneva and Sycamore, while the Vikings play Rochelle and Batavia.

Kaneland (6-15-1, 3-9) led early in Game 1 at 3-2 and 4-3. Jessica Lubic's block helped the Knights get off to a good start.

Geneva started to build a lead as junior Kelsey Augustine came alive. She had 3 kills in a 5-point span for a 14-7 lead.

Even though Geneva led comfortably for most of Game 1, it wasn't a perfect game. Twelve of Kaneland's points came on a variety of Geneva mistakes, including 4 service errors and 3 net violations.

Leading 24-12, the Vikings committed four straight errors before Augustine pounded a kill to end the game.

The Knights jumped ahead early in Game 2, with Lubic again coming up with a big block early, this time on Geneva's dynamite hitter Lauren Wicinski (8 kills). Kaneland led by 3 points three times, last at 11-8, and were up as late as 16-15.

Augustine again took over, accounting directly for 7 of Geneva's 8 points on either kills, blocks or service points.

"She's really blossoming into one of the top players in the area," Johnsen said. "She's such a strong blocker, she can play defense. We are pretty excited about how Kelsey is playing."

Lubic led Kaneland with 15 assists, 3 blocks and 2 kills. Abby VanderHeyden added 6 digs, and Jackie Ream and Lindsay Douglas both had 4 kills.

"We struggled in the first game," Kaneland coach Todd Weimer said. "We really picked up the pace in the second game. I'm glad the girls bounced back and played much better."

Weimer and Johnsen also said as much as they enjoyed this year's Volley for a Cure, they hope it is just the start.

"Next year we will do it at both places, try to get these gyms packed," Weimer said.

"It's a great cause and fun to be part of. We are picking up more ideas and thinking of more things to do, next year promote it more and turn it up a notch."