N. Stars come back twice to upend Bartlett
The Bartlett girls volleyball team led both games of Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference opener until visiting St. Charles North attacked with its more diversified offense and capitalized on the Hawks' inconsistent play to notch a 25-22, 25-20 victory.
Game 1 featured 6 ties and 6 lead changes. Bartlett (6-2-1), which was fresh off a weekend tournament title at West Aurora, took A 22-20 lead on a tip kill by junior Jacki Gulczynski. But the North Stars responded with 5 straight points to take a 1-0 lead.
Senior outside hitter Jen Ask blasted a spike down the left sideline to pull St. Charles North (6-3, 1-0) within a point, and middle Allie VanDril tipped a ball to open floor to knot the game at 22. North took the lead when Bartlett was whistled for a lift.
Junior Katie Fuerst kept the momentum rolling with a kill through a Bartlett block and Ask closed out the Game 1 comeback with an ace.
"We were really slow and we just came out kind of dull," St. Charles North coach Lindsey Hawkins said of the comeback in Game 1. "I told them in the huddle that we needed to liven up. One of the things we work on all the time is talking. It gets their adrenaline up when they do that. I was proud of them that they were able to close out that first game and come out strong in the second."
Bartlett led 5-2 in the second game before the North Stars streaked for 6 straight points and never trailed again. That run on the serve of junior Miranda Coello was fueled by her ace, a vicious spike of a one-set by VanDril (6-foot-1) and a block kill by sophomore middle Jillian Stolzenburg (6-0).
Though the Hawks cut a 19-12 deficit to 20-18 on a big hit by Carly Sahagian (match-high 12 kills, 5 digs, ace), the North Stars pulled away late with a middle kill from VanDril and the help of 3 Bartlett hitting errors. Stolzenburg recorded a block kill against Sahagian's back-row spike on match point.
"We knew (Sahagian) was their best hitter and she was going to get set wherever she was," Ask said, "but we have good hitters at outside, middle and right side so we thought we had the advantage and could set anywhere."
Bartlett coach Brandon Mueller credited St. Charles North's attack but lamented what he considered a missed opportunity.
"It's frustrating because the girls know they could have beaten this team," Mueller said. "We had the lead but we just made bonehead plays at crucial times, then let it slip away and couldn't get it back. We played like we were on a roller-coaster. We played really well on some points and we played really bad some points."
The North Stars offset the 12 kills from the Tennessee-bound Sahagian as setter Karlie Giesler spread the ball among Ask (5 kills) Fuerst (4) and 3 kills apiece from middles VanDril and Stolzenburg.
"They had a lot of people who could put the ball away," Sahagian said. "We need to have a complete offense - everyone has to hit and everyone has to go when plays are called. We just need more consistency. It was a tough loss because this year I really think we're capable of a lot more."