Volleyball/Scouting Class 4A Lake Zurich supersectional
Class 4A Lake Zurich Supersectional
Cary-Grove (35-4) vs. Stevenson (31-8)
When: Today at 7 p.m.
How they got here: Cary-Grove defeated McHenry 25-12, 25-11 and Prairie Ridge 25-18, 25-17 to win the Grant regional and defeated DeKalb 25-14, 25-8 and Huntley 25-11, 25-17 to win the Prairie Ridge sectional; Stevenson defeated Prospect 25-14, 25-15 and Mundelein 23-25, 25-18, 25-18 to win its own regional and defeated Hersey 20-25, 25-23, 25-16 and Lake Forest 18-25, 25-20, 25-23 to win the Buffalo Grove sectional.
Supersectional history: Cary-Grove is 2-1 all-time in supersectional matches; Stevenson is 3-6
Outlook: This is a rematch of last year’s supersectional at Barrington, which Cary-Grove won 25-22, 25-17. These teams also met in a Class AA supersectional in 2001, which the Patriots won 15-11, 16-14. More recently, the teams met twice at the Jacobs Invite in early September. Cary-Grove won both times, including the championship match (25-17, 25-16). The other match in pool play went 3 games. C-G senior outside hitter Ashley Rosch enjoyed one of her finest performances of the season against the Patriots in the Jacobs Invite final with 22 kills and 11 blocks. Rosch looked like a player on a mission Thursday when she used a variety of shots to put up 13 kills against Huntley. It was the third straight sectional title for the Trojans, the 2009 Class 4A state champion and 2010 state runner-up.
Rosch is the lone contributor remaining from the 2009 state title team and hopes to end her season in Redbird Arena for the third straight year. She is guaranteed to begin her next season at Redbird Arena; Rosch is committed to Illinois State. “As a senior I know it’s my last year,” Rosch said after the sectional victory over Huntley. “I want to make it to state, so I know I have to give it everything I’ve got. I don’t have a next year.”
Junior Rachel Baader is the key hitter for coach Tim Crow’s Patriots. She scored 27 kills in sectional victories over Hersey and Lake Forest. “She’s tough,” Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis said. “She really hurt us last year and we didn’t forget. She’s a dynamic player and they run a lot of different offense for her like we run for Rosch and (outside hitter Melanie) Jereb. Stevenson is very well-coached. They mix things up and they are very disciplined. It’s going to be a good matchup.”
Advancement: The winner advances to a state semifinal at Redbird Arena in Normal, Friday at approximately 9 p.m. against the winner of the Hinsdale South supersectional between Lyons (30-8) and Marist (33-6). Cary-Grove and Lyons have met for the state title each of the last two seasons, splitting the two meetings.