Cary-Grove an impressive champion at Jacobs
With many key returning players back from last year's Class 4A state championship team, Cary-Grove is considered one of the top girls volleyball teams in the state of Illinois again.
But, with the Trojans' impressive 25-15, 15-25, 25-23 win over defending Wisconsin state champion Waukesha Memorial Catholic at the Jacobs Invitational Saturday, the Trojans might be elevated to one of the top teams in the Midwest if not the country.
"They (Waukesha) are an awesome, awesome team," said Cary-Grove senior Kelly Lamberti. "They really challenged us with all their talent. This is a great win for us."
The Trojans (8-0) claimed the tournament title with a 25-17, 25-23 win over pesky Stevenson.
"The win over Waukesha was a great great win," said Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis. "They are a great team. This was a good measuring stick for us. Stevenson played very well. They are a very scrappy team."
Against Memorial Catholic, the Trojans won Game 1 by scoring the last 5 points. An ace by Ashley Rosch gave Cary-Grove a 1-0 lead in the match.
After dropping Game 2, the Trojans jumped out to a 12-4 lead in Game 3 after a kill by Lamberti.
Waukesha battled back to tie the score at 23-23 on a kill by Kelli Browning. But the Trojans scored the final 2 points courtesy of a pair of kills from Rosch to win the match.
Rosch and Lamberti led the Trojans with 13 kills apiece. Browning paced Memorial Catholic with 17 kills and 9 blocks.
Stevenson (6-2), which lost to Waukesha 25-11, 25-17 in the first match of the championship bracket battled the defending state champs. In Game 1, the Patriots led 17-15 after a kill by Kierstyn Hansen. But the Trojans regained momentum in the game by scoring the next 6 points to take a 21-17 lead.
A kill by Allison Whimpey gave Cary-Grove a 4-point advantage. Whimpey's next kill then gave the Trojans Game 1.
In Game 2, Stevenson jumped out to a 7-1 lead after a kill by Jenna Przybyla. The Trojans battled back to tie the score at 23 after an ace by Colleen Smith. Lamberti's kill gave the Trojans the match and the championship.
Lamberti paced Cary-Grove with 13 kills and 8 blocks. Smith had 18 assists, 3 aces and 3 kills for the winners. Hansen paced the third place Patriots with 6 kills.
"Our guys were intimidated by Waukesha in the first match," said Stevenson coach Tim Crow. "We came back with a better mentality against Cary-Grove and played very well.
Jacobs (5-3), which placed fourth in the tournament, went 1-1 in the fourth place Gold bracket along with Hersey and Crystal Lake Central. The Golden Eagles gained fourth place honors on a tiebreaker.
Central defeated Jacobs 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, but the Golden Eagles battled back to defeat Hersey 25-19, 25-17. Sophomore Alyssa Ehrhardt collected 16 kills against Central and 13 against Hersey.
"I am so pleased with the way the kids played," said Jacobs coach Lisa Dwyer. "They did everything we asked of them in both matches against Central and Hersey."
In the standings behind Jacobs were Hersey fifth, followed by Central (6th), Boylan (7th), Naperville Central (8th), Belvidere (9th), Hampshire (10th), West Bend Wis. (11th) and Elgin (12th).