ACC matches last year's win total
From her high school days at West Aurora to playing Division I at New Hampshire to last year's stint as Geneva's freshman coach, Jeanne Czipri has been part of a lot of winning volleyball.
But taking over Aurora Central? Didn't she know the Chargers were coming off an 11-22 season? How could Czipri keep those wins coming?
Well, her Chargers played their 17th match of the season Wednesday night against Aurora Christian, and with their 25-21, 25-17 victory they already have reached last year's 11 wins.
"I'm really excited about the progress they've made," Czipri said. "They are working hard and I keep demanding more from them because in the past I don't think they have been pushed. I keep tell them if you think you are working hard you aren't working hard enough. You can always push more."
Aurora Central (11-6, 3-1) saw that work pay off against the Eagles, especially in a first game filled with big momentum swings both ways. Aurora Central raced to a 7-2 lead, the Eagles responded with a 14-3 surge, then the Chargers regained control with a 10-0 burst.
A year ago, the Chargers might not have been able to regroup from a drought like they had in the middle of Game 1.
"The challenge right now is we are used to losing in our heads," Czipri said. "They are starting to feel our losses and feel our wins in that they deserve it and it's not luck. I'm working a lot on the mental game as well as teaching them how to play at a higher level. They are really buying into what I'm selling. They are doing the work, I'm just putting in the direction.
"I'm young, I have a lot to learn. Every day I make mistakes but every day I'm getting better just as much as they are. The learning extends to both of us."
Ashley Wilk and Kendra Bradley both served 4 aces for the Chargers, including Bradley's on match point in Game 2. That game stayed tight with ties at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11 before Wilk's 7-point service run put Aurora Central ahead to stay.
"I firmly believe serving gives you a lot of momentum and so I try to use that to our advantage," Czipri said.
Victoria Swigart and Vivian Fitzgerald both had 4 kills to pace Aurora Central's attack while Ashley Ilseman's 3 kills and 2 blocks and Mallory Gilkey's 3 kills led Aurora Christian (8-8, 0-3).
"A big part (of ACC's runs) was the home court and another big part is we were never a consistent team out on the court," Aurora Christian coach Nicole Andersen said. "We've been struggling with consistency throughout the year and I think it bit us this game over and over again. And they took advantage of it."