Regional crown fits Hersey

The northwest suburban queen of girls volleyball regionals added another one Thursday night at Wheeling High School.

Hersey was crowned champion with a convincing 25-10, 25-13 victory over Buffalo Grove, marking the 12th straight year and 21st time under coach Nancy Lill that the Huskies have claimed a regional.

The No. 3-seeded Huskies (31-5) will take on No. 2 Stevenson (29-8) in the 7 p.m. semifinal of the Buffalo Grove Class 4A sectional on Tuesday night.

Hersey’s aggressive serving against the Bison (17-14) accounted for 6 aces, four from senior Kristen Pedersen.

“I haven’t really been serving that aggressively until late in the season here,” said Pedersen, who also put down 5 kills with 3 blocks and 4 digs. “But I’ve really been focusing on it in practice and it paid off. Earlier in the year, I was just focusing on hitting aggressively.”

Set 1 was tied at 4-4 when Pedersen got the Huskies the lead for good with her deep serves, including an ace that made it 6-4.

Hersey junior Erica Hill took classmate Abby Fesl’s quick set and sent it down for a kill and 7-5 lead.

The Huskies gradually expanded the lead, going ahead 13-8 lead on Taylor Schill’s ace.

Pedersen was at the service line to end Set 1, delivering an ace for the 24th point before senior Lindsay Boivin put down the set-winner.

“Serving aggressively was a huge part of our game plan,” Lill said. “We went at them tough. And we tried not to serve to Victoria (Ito).”

Ito is one of the top liberos in the state and finished with 8 digs.

“Hersey is really a well put-together team and runs a very smooth offense,” Ito said. “Everyone knows their job and executes it perfectly.

“Getting this far and doing as well as s we did this season was more than I expected. It was a good season overall. We made nice progress all the way along.”

Hersey stormed to a 9-1 lead in Set 2 as Pedersen served for points 5 through 9, including 2 more aces.

Fesl’s kill on an overpass made it 14-6 and the Huskies eventually won it with 3 straight service points from Allie Mueller, including the match-wining kill by senior Kelsey Haas (team-high 6 kills).

“We really came out strong,” said Fesl, who collected 19 assists from 42-of-42 setting. “We knew Buffalo Grove would come out hard against us. But we just brought our energy the whole match.”

“It feels great to win a regional,” said Hill, who was 5-of-5 attacking with 3 kills and 1 blocks. “We did a good job serving and passing. It was an all-around good match for us.”

BG junior Mary Zawlocki enjoyed one of her finest matches with 5 kills while senior Paige Smith added 2. Senior setter Kathy Hampton handed out 7 assists.

“Hersey is a great team,” Smith said. “We have come so far since my freshman year. Sometimes you can play your heart like we did, and still come up short. I am happy with our overall season. It feels good leaving this legacy behind for our younger girls.”

It was also the final match for BG coach Marianne O’Shea, who is retiring after the school year as the school’s girls athletic director since 199 and head volleyball coach the last six seasons.

“These girls have come a long way from a year ago (5 wins),” O’Shea said. “They did a great job. If it had to end, this is the way — with great kids, great parents and everyone working real hard all season and having so much fun.”