Huntley snaps Cary-Grove’s streak
The Cary-Grove girls volleyball team was following its familiar storyline Tuesday night with a game already in hand and a big lead in Game 2. Normally, the Trojans step on opponents’ necks and put such regular-season matches away.
Huntley flipped that script.
Trailing 15-7 in the second game and on the brink of unraveling, the Red Raiders instead responded to captain Amy Dion’s call to action and rallied for a 21-25, 25-23, 25-22 victory to win a battle of unbeatens in the Valley Division of the Fox Valley Conference.
Huntley’s thrilling comeback in front of a loud, supportive home crowd snapped Cary-Grove’s regular-season winning streak at 61, dating back to October of 2009. It also snapped the Trojans’ winning streak in FVC matches at 25. Cary-Grove had not dropped a conference matchup since losing to Crystal Lake South on Oct. 16, 2008.
The win elevates Huntley (12-0, 5-0) to sole possession of first place in the Valley Division, a game ahead of Cary-Grove (16-1, 4-1)
“We always talk about how this is our gym, this is our court, these are our fans,” said Dion, a Maryland-bound senior libero who made 14 digs. “We weren’t ready to lose. There’s just no quit in us. None. Not this year.
“There are times when you just mentally break down. It’s my job to get them back in gear and not to quit, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Huntley trailed 15-7 when a tip kill by Wake Forest recruit Sam Boesch gave Huntley a much-needed side out. That’s when Dion pumped her fist, stomped her feet and screamed “Now, let’s go!” at the top of her lungs.
The Red Raiders responded in a big way by reeling off 5 more consecutive points on setter Eli Manning’s serve to pull close, a run fueled by 3 more kills by Boesch.
“We know the way Amy is so if she’s screaming at us it’s because she’s so passionate,” said Huntley middle blocker Jaina Jackson. “We didn’t get down from it; we got into it. She brings us up.”
Once Huntley pulled to within 20-19 and forced Cary-Grove to call timeout, coach Michelle Jakubowski had a message for her team.
“I told them I was proud of them, win or lose, because they didn’t roll over and die when they could have easily rolled over,” Jakubowski said.
Huntley took the lead on a Boesch kill, but 3 clutch putaways by Illinois State-bound senior Ashley Rosch (12 kills, 16 digs) kept Cary-Grove within 24-23.
However, the Red Raiders evened the match at a game apiece when setter Eli Manning eschewed Jackson and Boesch in the front row and instead sent a back set to reserve Taylor Nepermann, who spiked the ball through a double block for the game-winner.
In Game 3, Huntley scored 6 straight points to take a 15-9 lead, but Cary-Grove showed its poise by rallying back to within a point of the lead. Creighton-bound outside hitter Melanie Jereb absolutely crushed a set from Jess Bartczyszyn (33 assists) for one of her 15 kills, pulling the Trojans within 19-18.
However, Cary-Grove’s next serve sailed wide and the Red Raiders scored the next 3 points, which included kills by Jackson and Emily McGran (7 kills). McGran played in place of fourth-year varsity hitter Ashley Smith, who missed a second straight match with tendinitis.
Boesch notched the game winner from the back row for her match-high 16th kill. After the teams shook hands, the Raider Nation student section mobbed the players to celebrate the end of Cary-Grove’s regular-season streak.
“Huntley is a good team. They really had the fire to beat us and we could feel that,” Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis said. “Even with an 8-point lead I don’t think we ever felt comfortable.
“This was our first big match of the season where we’ve been tested all the way to the end. This is exactly what we wanted to see. Huntley pointed out some weak areas for us, things we’re going to improve on the next time we step on the court.”
The Red Raiders believed before Tuesday they could compete with the best programs in the state. They now know they can.
“Everyone was saying we could play with them, but there’s still that doubt until you actually do it and know you can beat them,”Dion said. “Still, it’s just another game in September. It doesn’t mean we’re going to state.”