Lisle builds winning identity
In an area where high school volleyball teams are loaded with club players, Lisle is an exception. Volleyball is a second or third sport for many of the Lions.
You can't argue with their results this fall.
On the heels of a 13-22 finish in 2008, Lisle is 20-13 and near the top of the Interstate Eight Conference standings.
"We don't have that familiarity on the court," Lisle coach Matt Hrubesky said, "so we spent a lot of time on team drills, working as a group. They got a feel for each other."
The improvement from last year is no shock. Lisle returned all but one starter. A tough two-set win over Immaculate Conception in the season opener set the tone.
"That was a blueprint for how the girls can play a close game of volleyball, and win," Hrubesky said. "We learned to counter-punch in close matches."
Hrubesky calls sophomomore outside Vanessa Abenante "the Lions' star and go-to player" with a big, consistent swing. Colleen Drennan and Chelsea Peterson have stepped up in the middle. And setter Brianna Larson has made huge strides.
"We didn't have another setter," Hrubesky said, "so we were going to sink or swim with her. And it's been a lot of swim."
Also on the upswing: Lisle's possible opponent in the Class 2A regional semifinals, Timothy Christian, has similarly enjoyed a bounce-back season.
The Trojans, 13-24 a year ago, are 22-12 under first-year coach Lindsey Van Schepen.
Juniors Kristen Lodewyk (setter) and Elise Biesboer (libero) have been rock-solid foundations for Van Schepen's first team.
"Those two have been so consistent for us," Van Schepen said. "It's been a learning experience, knowing when to push the girls and when to let up a little bit."
Timothy Christian, new to the Metro Suburban Conference this fall, took off after a win over Fenton Sept. 24.
"At that point of the year we really started to play our pace," Van Schepen said. We've built upon that ever since."
Red Devils eye Silver title: Hinsdale Central coach Sheralynn Kellough believes the school's last West Suburban Silver Conference title in girls volleyball came in 1976. Just don't ask for the details.
"I wasn't born yet," Kellough laughed.
Hinsdale Central (25-3) can give its coach a championship to remember tonight. The Red Devils are at Lyons Township in a matchup of teams unbeaten in the Silver. To the victor, the league title.
"The girls are excited about it," Kellough said. "It's a big opportunity."
It will be a huge test for Jamie Netisingha, Natalia Skiba and Co. Lyons Township (29-2), which suffered a rare loss to St. Francis at Maine West's Pumpkin Tournament over the weekend, could be the favorite in Class 4A when playoffs start next week. Junior outside Jocelynn Birks and sophomore Alexis Viliunas lead a young, but talented team.
"We have to play our game," Kellough said. "Defense has been our strength all season. They have some good swingers so we have to defend well against them."
Huskies go for DVC outright: Naperville North, co-champions of the DuPage Valley Conference last year with Naperville Central, can clinch an outright title this week.
Perhaps with some help from their crosstown rivals.
Naperville North (21-7, 10-2) is a game ahead of West Chicago (19-9, 9-3) and two ahead of Naperville Central heading into tonight's action. Naperville Central hosts West Chicago while Naperville North is at Wheaton North.
Assuming the one-game spread holds after tonight, Naperville North would need to win at West Chicago on Thursday for the outright title. Naperville North handled the surprise Wildcats in two sets in their first meeting in Naperville.
"One of our goals is always to win conference," Huskies coach Jennifer Urban said, "and we know it's a tough task. This year in our conference there's a lot of teams able to beat each other. We know we're in control of how we finish. That's the position you want to be in."
Time flies during the fall: It was exactly seven weeks ago that Naperville Central started its season.
To Redhawks coach Brie Isaacson it feels like yesterday. She's not a big fan of the truncated regular season.
"You start making strides toward the direction you want to go," she said, "and the season is over. I just think if the season was a little longer you'd see greater growth individually and as a team."
Practice time is at a premium once the season gets rolling. On the four weekends where Naperville Central competes at tournaments, the Redhawks can only get two practices in.
"I understand kids get good training from club," Isaacson said, "but there's good high school coaches that can make athletes better, too. It's the practices where the teams get better. I just think coaching would play a greater effect than it does now."