Buffalo Grove secures date in MSL title game
Buffalo Grove outside hitter Ethan Bailey made one of the gutsiest plays of the season at Tuesday night's boys volleyball game against visiting Hersey.
And it was before the match even started.
Bailey used the pregame introductions to ask his prospective date to prom, something he said he'd been planning for "a couple of weeks."
She said yes - much to Bailey's relief - and that wasn't the only thing that went according to plan for the junior and his teammates.
Bailey's heads-up all around performance, which included 6 digs, helped lead the Bison to 25-21, 25-19 victory over the Huskies and clinched at least a share of the Mid-Suburban East title.
More importantly, the win moved the Bison into next Wednesday's MSL championship game against Barrington. BG came into the match deadlocked with Elk Grove, but held the tiebreaker over the Grens.
BG and Elk Grove split their two contests this season - both 3-game affairs - but the Bison own a slight point differential.
"We started a little slow this season," said Bailey, who is playing his first year on varsity, "but lately we've been coming into our own, and jelling as a team."
Six-foot-7 senior middle Sam Wacker led the Bison with 7 kills.
BG's victory overshadowed a couple of teriffic efforts from two Hersey underclassmen. Freshman outside hitter Bart Migus led the team on attack with 5 kills on 14-of-17 hitting, while teammate Fotis Christacos excelled on defense. The sophomore libero, thrust into a starting role due to illness on the Hersey roster, delivered 13 digs.
"Fotis played out of his head tonight," said Hersey coach Nancy Lill. "We didn't miss a beat with him in there.
"We had some nice runs tonight, especially in the second game, but we just made too many errors."
BG had to rally from a deep deficit in set two to score the victory, led by a stong effort from junior Evan Bunnetto.
"We've been differentiating our intensity," said Bunnetto. "We usually come out more intense in the first game and then run into a little bit of a lull, but tonight was a different story."
"Evan has made himself into one of the best hitters in the area," said BG coach Matt Aiello, "and if you look at the statistics, he struggled a little tonight.
"But he stayed strong, and he still gave us 6 kills and 2 aces."
Libero Michael Maley pitched in with 13 digs for the Bison, who will be playing in their fifth consecutive MSL title game.
BG was 8-2 in conference this season after finishing 10-0 each of the last four years, but Aiello says that doesn't tell the whole story.
"We're a young team," said the coach. "What people don't understand is that every season, we have to reload. Sam (Wacker) and Michael Starzec and the only guys on the team this year with varsity experience."
"I've been here six years, and five of those six years we've lost at least four starters to graduation. But even though our guys are young, they understand what it takes to be victorious, day to day, in games and also in practice. They know it's on them, and they're driven to succeed."
Schaumburg d. Hoffman Estates: Andrew Stetter delivered 8 kills and DJ Karbowski had 6 to help visiting Schaumburg come up with a 25-11, 25-19 victory over the Hawks in MSL West play.
Matt Jarsoz had 18 setting assists and Karbowski had 2 aces for the Saxons (15-15, 15-5).
Gregg Lugo led Hoffman Estates with 3 kills, and Gabe Alvelo had 7 assists.
Palatine d. Conant: The host Pirates rolled past Conant 25-18, 25-10 as Palatine swept at all levels in two sets.
Conant was led by Kevin Suffredin (6 kills), Kevin Good (5 digs), and Byron Cheung (7 assists).
Wheeling d. Prospect: The visiting Wildcats picked up their second MSL East win of the year 25-27, 25-22, 25-16.
Zack Nauert and Michael Taylor had 12 digs apiece, and Sean Chechang and Frank Stankowicz had 11 each for Wheeling (14-18, 2-8), which added to the momentum it generated with a 5-0 performance Saturday at Leyden's tournament.
Kevin Leska had a team-best 10 kills and 6 blocks for Wheeling, and Taylor was 56-for-57 setting with 26 assists.
Elk Grove d. Rolling Meadows: The host Grenadiers netted an MSL East victory. Peter Nickle had 15 digs for Rolling Meadows.
Barrington d. Fremd: The host Broncos stayed perfect in Mid-Suburban West play with a clear-cut win over the Vikings.
Tommy Leonard had 9 kills and Jeff Hochstein and Kevin Eiring had 4 each for the Broncos (26-6, 10-0). Taylor Ganzer provided 17 assists, Austin Czarnecki had 7 digs and Charlie Kingwill served 4 aces.