Dundee-Crown pushes Crystal Lake South

Tuesday's competitive showing in a loss to area powerhouse Crystal Lake South is further proof that third-year Dundee-Crown girls volleyball coach Christine Hopkins-Muehl has the program pointed in the right direction.

In 2012, Hopkins-Muehl inherited a team that had won only 7 matches the previous autumn. She doubled that win total in her first season. D-C improved to 16 victories in her second season.

With most of the starting lineup back his fall, the senior-heavy Chargers entered their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division opener against Crystal Lake South - the 2013 undefeated division champion and fourth-place finisher in Class 4A - brimming with confidence after 5 wins in 8 matches.

Determined to prove they are ready to compete at a high level after years of playing the role of volleyball also-ran in the brutal FVC Valley, the Chargers nearly upset the Gators in Game 1 by rallying for 3 straight points to take a 25-24 lead. Junior Kailey Moll tied it at 24-24 with a kill in the middle. Junior outside hitter Bre Novak followed with a heady tip for one of her 6 kills to give D-C a 1-point advantage, forcing the Gators to call timeout.

However, D-C's 25-24 lead dissipated quickly as the short-handed Gators, who took the floor without all-area setter Cassy Sivesind and defensive specialist Alexandra Janis due to illnesses, relied on their combination of talent and court savvy to win the next 3 points. Middle Emma Burkle finessed a soft shot to the floor to tie the game at 25 apiece. A net violation against the Chargers gave the Gators a 1-point lead, and Carly Nolan finished off a 27-25 victory with a booming spike for one of her match-high 10 kills.

In Game 2, CL South used a 10-2 run to open a 16-7 lead and went on to complete the sweep with a 25-18 victory.

"A little shaky in the beginning," said Nolan, who also posted 6 digs. "We had to adjust. We had some new players on the court, but overall we came out on top."

Junior setter Kendall Kilberger registered 19 assists and 10 digs in place of Sivesind. Elsewhere, junior defensive specialist Ariana Chelini, freshman defender Maddie Dahl and sophomore Jordan Proszenyak stepped into a revamped lineup and performed well in support of Nolan, Burkle (5 kills), outside hitter Abigail Marchewka (4 kills) and defender Tori Falbo (6 digs).

"We had two out (sick), so we had a new setter and a new DS," said CL South coach Jorie Fontana, whose team improved to 8-2 overall, 2-0 in the FVC Valley. "I had to pull some younger girls to play in the back row there. So adjustments to that. Hitters get very comfortable with certain combinations, the people who they're with. Overall, a good adjustment but it took some time to hit a groove and get into rhythm."

Dundee-Crown sophomore middle Emma Brant finished with 4 kills, junior libero Gina Pagano notched 9 digs and junior setter Frankie Cavallaro had 13 assists and 8 digs for the Chargers (5-4, 0-1), who took solace in the fact they pushed the defending league champs to the limit in Game 1.

"This is the first game where we've had real, hard competition, and I think we showed ourselves what we're capable of," Novak said. "We're going to take this experience and we're going to keep rolling with it. We're going to keep coming back stronger."

"Obviously, we would have liked to have pushed it 3 games or get the W, but it's a building point for us," Hopkins-Muehl said.