Sisters provide Geneva a boost - and a laugh

When Lauren Wicinski needs a laugh, she knows where to go.

The Geneva girls volleyball team has been mostly about business this year, with a perfect 14-0 record to win the Western Sun and a 33-2 record to earn the No. 2 seed entering the Geneva sectional.

But Wicinski said there's two people on this year's team who know how to keep things loose, and they happen to be sisters: senior middles Alexa and Katie Sommers.

"They are hilarious, they are so funny," Wicinski said. "They are definilty the comic relief on the team but when it comes down to business they get down to business. They are great to play with it."

Wicinski said even though the Sommers are twins, they disagree a lot which leads to some pretty entertaining moments for the rest of the team.

Katie Sommer didn't completely agree.

"We get along well," Sommer said. "We're alayws together. It's fun playing together. We're a lot the same but kind of different."

Alexa Sommer has worked her way back this year after missing most of her junior season with a back injury.

Katie Sommers said they can get an interesting reaction from opponents at the net.

"It's really fun because we'll help each other out," Sommer said. "When people are at the net they will look at us and kind of do a double take."

Geneva coach KC Johnsen said it's been awhile since he's got the identical twins mixed up.

"Usually when I get it wrong now it's almost like you just get people mixed up normally without being identical twins, once in awhile from the back," Johnsen said.

"They are two very solid volleyball players. They are a big presence at the net both offensively and blocking. They have very good volleyball IQs."

Johnsen also likes having two such talented hitters to take attention away from the power combo of Wicinski and Kelsey Augustine.

"That is a huge advantage to us because they (opponents) can't focus too much on Lauren and Kelsey," Johnsen said. "It's a nice thing to have."

Happy return: Speaking of Geneva, senior Megan Odenthal made an emotional return on Senior Night last week to play for the first time this season for three points against Batavia.

Is there any chance her knee, which she tore the ACL this summer causing the Washington Unversity-bound setter to miss the entire season, could heal enough for Odenthal to return again with a long Geneva postseason run?

"I always have my hopes higher and higher and I try not to set myself up for any disappointment," Odenthal said. "I'm just going to keep working and see where I am and take every single day one at a time. If I get there, I get there. If I don't I'll be cheering as hard as I can."

No doubt her coaches and teammates were cheering for her last week when she got back on the court, understanding how hard it has been for Odenthal to miss a chance to play this year on a team that is so good, and a team she was such a huge part of last year.

"That's where you are supposed to be," Wicinski said. "She (Odenthal) has been very supportive of all of us and especially (setter) Brooke (Morphis) but just looking at her it's like "I'm supposed to be there." It's very hard. She has overcome a lot of challenges this year and I think she's doing fantastic."

Geneva coach KC Johnsen knows Odenthal isn't 100 percent but couldn't be happier she got a chance to take part in Senior Night by playing.

"She's been working incredibly hard to get back," Johnsen said. "Obviously she is not quite back but we were hoping since she's been working so hard maybe on Senior Night we could get her in for a point or two. We were very excited for her."

Odenthal said her knee held up well.

"I feel totally fine," Odenthal said. "I was nervous at first. I feel my confidence is going to be shaky for awhile when it comes to my knee. But I feel great now. I knew I wouldn't be able to really play but just to be in the game meant a lot to me. That's what I worked for."

Charged up: While Geneva and St. Charles East turned in the typical sparkling records their programs are used to, few teams improved like Aurora Central.

After just 11 wins last year, the Chargers were at 24-11 after finishing third last weekend at Kaneland's Spikefest.

First-year Aurora Central coach Jeanne Czipri earned praise from her players for both the Xs and Ox she taught them and also her positive outlook.

"With the new coach anything is possible," Victoria Swigart said after the Chargers clinched the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division title with a 7-1 record.

"Last year it felt like they didn't believe in us. She knows us individually, personally and has faith in us."

Czipri talked about the outlook she has and how she tries to keep her team playing positively.

"When a kid makes a mistake, no player ever makes a mistake on purpose," Czipri said. "No person ever says "Oh I'm going to sail this serve to the back wall." I look at them and say, 'Get them next time and give them a smile because they don't need me to be mad at them.'

Swigart and Vivian Fitzgerald both made the all-tournament team at Spikefest.

"They've come a long way in terms of their phsical and mental game," Czipri said of her entire team. "It's night and day in terms of their winning attitudes and recovering from their errors. That's what makes us a tough team to beat because they recover quickly."