St. Francis answers St. Charles East's challenge
For the first weekend of volleyball season, St. Francis sure looks in midseason form.
The No. 2 Spartans defeated No. 1 and defending Class 4A state champion St. Charles East 25-21, 25-13 to win the Early Bird tournament on Saturday at Fremd High School.
St. Francis (6-0) didn't drop a game in five tournament matches, after rallying to beat Class 3A runner-up Burlington Central in Thursday's season-opening match.
"Great win," Spartans senior Kelsey Robinson said. "We're just excited to start the season off in such a great way. We never let down once."
The win over St. Charles East was the 999th career for St. Francis coach Peg Kopec. Her first shot at No. 1,000 comes Wednesday at Chicago Christian.
"Very nice tournament," Kopec said, "but I wasn't as pleased with the championship match as I might have been. We just had a lot of errors in the first game. I guess it benefits you having to overcome adversity. I thought we played outstanding against Pius."
After overwhelming defending Wisconsin state runner-up Pius XI of Milwaukee 25-13, 25-16 in the semifinals St. Francis did start somewhat slow in the championship.
Six hitting errors and two bad serves in, St. Charles East (5-1) led 15-14 behind 3 early Caroline Niski kills. At 19-19, the Spartans grabbed the lead for good on a Saints net violation. Setter Kristen Kelsay then dropped in an off-balance one-hand flip off a back-row dig to make it 21-19, and Robinson knocked down a free ball. Another Robinson kill just beyond the 10-foot line off a Kelsay set ended Game 1.
Sophomore middle Naiva Wise's block tied the second game 5-5, and the Spartans then rattled off 5 straight points behind Robinson's powerful jump serve. The Tennessee-bound outside had 4 of her 6 aces in that stretch. Not even a Saints timeout quelled the tide.
"You never miss a serve after a timeout," Robinson said.
A Caroline Niski kill and Jacqui Seidel ace pulled St. Charles East within 15-13, but a Robinson kill and block touched off a run of 10 straight Spartans points to end the match. Cassie Rio knocked down 2 kills on Saints overpasses during the stretch.
Already missing injured libero Maisey Mulvey (hip), the Saints were further hampered by Niski's arm tendinitis.
"The second game our ball control just got the best of us. We didn't control the ball well," Saints coach Jennie Kull said. "With Caroline's arm, we couldn't set her anymore, it was so sore."
Meghan Niski had 7 kills and 7 digs, Caroline Niski 2 kills and 5 digs and Seidel 9 assists for St. Charles East, who beat Fremd 25-19, 25-16 in the semifinals.
"I'm glad it's early," Kull said. "The girls battled this weekend, they tried. We didn't adjust well to Robinson's jump serve, and it just spiraled. It's a good lesson. We'll learn from it."
Robinson had 8 kills and 2 blocks for St. Francis. Vonderhaar added 5 kills and Kelsay 4 kills and 16 assists.
Willowbrook Tournament: Hinsdale Central (7-1), which beat Naperville North on Wednesday, capped off a big week with a 25-19, 25-17 win over Benet (6-1) in the championship. Jamie Netisingha had 11 digs, Natalia Skiba 7 kills and 8 digs and Nikki DelZenero 9 digs for Hinsdale Central.
"We played lights out defense," Red Devils coach Sherralynn Kellough said, "and forced them into errors."
Host Willowbrook (4-3) beat Glenbard East 25-23, 25-23 for third place. Caitlin Hopkins had 8 kills and Josie Hopkins 5 kills and 8 digs for Willowbrook in the match.
Plainfield North Tournament: Naperville North (4-2) beat Plainfield North 26-24, 25-17 for fifth place, going 4-1 at the two-day tournament. Huskies senior Audrey Wilson was named to the All-Tournament team. Naperville North earlier lost to Huntley 25-18, 25-22 and beat Hinsdale South 25-15, 25-13.