Benet, Hinsdale Central favored at Lockport

As the coach who's faced every other semifinalist at the Class 4A Lockport volleyball sectional, Hinsdale Central's Sheralynn Kellough is no stranger to her opponent.

But a little extra knowledge doesn't hurt.

Kellough's Red Devils beat Naperville North in three sets on Sept. 2. She's seen tape of that match, but caught a second look of the Huskies in their last regular-season tournament.

"Anytime you see somebody so early in the season it's always worth taking another look at them down the road," Kellough said. "We're a different team now and Naperville North is, too."

Tonight's semifinal matches of No. 1 seed Benet (33-4) versus No. 4 Downers Grove North (27-10) and No. 2 Hinsdale Central (32-5) versus No. 3 Naperville North (30-7) are both rematches of early-season matches. Benet beat Downers Grove North 25-19, 25-22 back on Sept. 11.

"But we're looking film at them from more recent matches," Benet coach Brad Baker said. "They're playing a different lineup and have different pieces. We did look at some things where we had success against them the first match. We want to use those to our advantage."

Naperville North is one team at Lockport that has shuffled its lineup significantly. Carly Warner has moved to right-side and Catie Cremin from libero to outside. Christine Wu has settled in at libero and Miya Thalmann is playing three rotations in the back row.

The Huskies have won 10 straight matches and eagerly await redemption against Hinsdale Central.

"Looking back we definitely made a lot of errors on our side of the net," Huskies coach Jennifer Urban said, "and gave up large point runs at the end. We've wanted to get another shot at them all year."

Count Kellough as one throwing out the result of the teams' first match. She's more concerned with two wins this week and Hinsdale Central's first sectional championship in 32 years, the longest dryspell of the four Lockport participants.

"It was a nice win but we don't put a lot of stock in it. It was two months ago," Kellough said. "Now people's seasons are on the line. The girls have had their sights set on this week since the beginning of the season."

Spartans not looking ahead: Volleyball fans might already be looking ahead to Thursday and a St. Francis-Joliet Catholic 3A sectional final in Wheaton.

But the No. 2 seed and host Spartans aren't looking past No. 3 Lemont.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," assured St. Francis coach Peg Kopec.

St. Francis (35-2) meets Lemont (30-7) in tonight's second semifinal at Spyglass Center, following the 6 p.m. match between top seed Joliet Catholic and Rosary.

Lemont has won three straight regional championships - but has never won a sectional. Courtney Keefe, a 5-foot-10 outside, is among the Indians' top players.

"We have to play well, for sure," said Kopec, whose team beat Wheaton Academy 25-13, 25-14 in last Saturday's regional final behind Kelsey Robinson's 15 kills. "We did some things pretty well in regionals last week. We blocked better than we have been. We want to stop what Lemont likes to do and continue to do what we've been doing well."

Going back a ways: York coach Patty Iverson has a history with Geneva standout Lauren Wicinski.

Going back longer than you might think.

Iverson played on an open club volleyball team with Lauren's mom Gina. The team traveled overseas to Osaka, Japan for an international tournament.

Fast-forward to tonight, where Iverson's No. 3 seed Dukes (27-8) will try to eliminate No. 2 Geneva (30-2) and Northern Illinois recruit Wicinski from the playoffs for the third straight year.

"We'll have our work cut out for us," Iverson said. "We're going to have to dig the heck out of the ball against her. We're not a big team, but we're a good defensive team."

York knocked off Geneva last year in a sectional semifinal match in Elmhurst. This time the Dukes will have to do it on Geneva's home floor.

"We know we're going into a lion's den," Iverson said. "They'll have that going for them. But we are 24-3 in our last 27 matches. That's what we have going for us."

Getting back to D: Immaculate Conception (25-12) lost four seniors off last year's team that advanced to the Class 2A supersectionals. None were more signifant than defensive ace Catherine Guido. Knights coach Jean Field admitted her young group's defense "was a little half-hazard" at times earlier this season, but has picked up.

"The defense is starting to read things better," Field said, "and our offense is starting to click. If you're going to start clicking, now's the time."

Field had three girls miss practice due to sickness, but hopes to have them back for tonight's 2A sectional semifinal match with Chicago Latin at Aurora Christian High School.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed," said Field, noting the recent flu outbreaks circling the area.