Hinsdale Central defense puts on show for Willowbrook

The way Hinsdale Central's volleyball team plays defense, you only hope the trainer's room is stocked with knee pads.

The Red Devils were at it again Thursday evening, diving and digging their way past Willowbrook 25-14, 25-16.

Libero Jamie Netisingha had 18 digs and fellow back-row whiz Natalia Skiba 16 for Hinsdale Central (18-2).

"This is how they play on a daily basis - they play like that in practice, which is awesome," Red Devils coach Sheralynn Kellough said. "Jamie and Natalia are a great combination back there, and they've infused that culture with the rest of the team, to go after everything."

No ball or spot on the floor was safe from the hustling Red Devils, who also got 4 blocks from emerging sophomore middle Allison Davis.

"She's made big strides," Kellough said of Davis, "just the last few weeks."

"We have a pretty big block," Davis said, "and I love Jamie and Natalia. They pick up everybody."

Willowbrook coach Sue Bower could only look on wistfully at her opponent.

"Hinsdale Central didn't let one ball drop," Bower said, "and that's not the kind of players we are now. We need to turn into that. They make a diving save look easy, where we make a free ball look hard."

In both games Hinsdale Central grabbed control after briefly sluggish starts.

Down 5-4 in Game 1 after a Josie Hopkins ace, Hinsdale Central rolled off 5 straight points. Skiba had back-to-back kills and Davis 3 consecutive blocks for a 9-5 lead. After a Caitlin Hopkins kill for Willowbrook, Skiba put down 2 more kills to make it 13-6.

A Caitlin Hopkins kill early in Game 2 gave the visiting Warriors a 4-3 lead, but Hinsdale Central answered with 7 straight points ignited by a redirect from setter Nikki DelZenero. Up 10-5 the Red Devils put up 12 unanswered points that allowed Kellough to substitute freely.

"We're not the typical team," Skiba said. "We're shorter than everybody else, but our defense is what is helping us win. People like Allison can put the ball down and we help them out from the back row."

Skiba had 5 kills and DelZenero 14 assists for Hinsdale Central, which won its fourth straight match after a three-game loss to Benet at the Wheaton Classic.

The Red Devils now have a seven-day layoff before the Benet Invitational, where they could be looking at a rubber match with the host Redwings. Hinsdale Central beat Benet at the Willowbrook Invitational.

"The girls have been much more disciplined in practice the last couple weeks," Kellough said. "I'm giving them a little break this weekend and then we'll hit it hard next week before the tournament."

Josie Hopkins had 3 kills and 12 digs and Sarah McCarthy 13 assists and 11 digs for Willowbrook (13-10).

"It almost seemed like we plateaued against Downers Grove South (a win on Sept. 8)," Bower said. "We've been struggling since then with our consistency. I don't know how we get it back."