Girls volleyball: Scouting the MSL championship

Girls Volleyball: Scouting the MSL championshipPalatine (23-8) vs. Hersey (22-7)When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Palatine

History: The 43rd edition of the Mid-Suburban League championship once again finds the most frequent visitor in the showcase event.

Hersey is playing in its 21st title matches, 20 under current coach Nancy Lill, who won her 800th match in 2012.

The Huskies have won 10 crowns (9 under Lill), including five of the last seven. They have won the East the last 13 seasons.

Palatine is making its 11th appearance in the title match, but only second since 1998. Pirates coach Dan Gavin was also the coach of the 2012 team which lost at Hersey that year in the title game. Palatine was in the championship six straight times from 1983 to 1988 and won five of them. In all, they have won seven crowns, second only to Barrington (11) and Hersey (10).

How they got here: Hersey and Palatine each made it to today's championship with 10-0 records in their respective divisions.

Except for going up against runner-up Prospect (8-2), the Huskies won all their matches in two sets. Their two wins over Prospect were by scores of 25-13, 17-25, 25-22 and 16-25, 26-24, 28-26.

Palatine wrapped up its West Division with two matches. The Pirates also won all their matches except for two in two sets. Its three-set wins came over Schaumburg (25-10, 17-25, 25-19) and Barrington (25-21, 17-25, 25-23).

The rosters:

Hersey - Emma Frankiewicz (5-6 Jr. L), Liz Solans (5-6 Jr. DS-OH), Carley Chiodo (5-8 Sr. OH), Dani Havel (5-3 Sr. DS), Sammi Steger (5-10 Jr. MB-RH), Mary Clare O'Shea (5-10 Jr. OH), Maggie Reisel (5-4 Jr. So,), Katie Rozanski (5-11 Sr. MB), Zoe Strozewski (6-1 Jr. MB), Amy Morgan (5-8 So. OH), Gianna Carusiello (5-10 Sr. S), Emma Strozewski (5-11 So. S-RH), Liz Fuerst (5-10 Sr. OH), Alessia Olhava (5-8 Fr. S)

Palatine - Alexis Serna (Sr. DS), Meghan McGarvey Sr. MB-Opp), Ally Foltman (Jr. DS), Lexi Heuertz (Sr. S), Heather Holz (Sr. MB), Krista Anderson (Sr. OH), Sydney Christiansen (Jr. S), Corey Rinella (Jr. MB-OH), Haley Holz (Fr. OH), Alyssa Kronberg (Jr. L), Sarah Udoni (Sr, MB-Opp), Claire Chaplinsky (Jr. OH), Brooke Bauer (Jr. MB-RS), Beverly Ryan-Darrah (So. MB)

Coaching staffs: Hersey coach Nancy Lill is assisted by Jodi Blazek, Amy Barfield, Bob Brown and Ben Chin. Palatine coach Dan Gavin is assisted by Joyce Richardson, Erin Mahoney, Peter Gavin, Sharon Stauder and Colleen Lundell.

Coach talk:

Dan Gavin: "Hersey has been a model of consistency in the Mid-Suburban League. They have been in the match 13 years in a row. If you are going to compete against them, you've got to execute your game plan on your side of the net and force them out of theirs on their side of the net. They've got good size, are well coached, disciplined and obviously a complete team. I think we are playing some of our best volleyball all season. We are peaking at the right time, and that's exactly what you want. The match will probably come down to whoever executes the best and responds to any adversity that may come their way. We have a great group of girls who work hard, have bought into the system and are fun to coach."

Nancy Lill: "Palatine is a solid team. Heather Holz is a really nice player in the middle and Claire Chaplinsky has a solid swing. They have a nice libero (Alyssa Kronberg). And they've got Heather's little sister (freshman Haley) on the outside. They've had a great season. Obviously to go 10-0 in the West they are doing something right. Dan (Gavin) has done nice things in the program and they've got some nice talent. I'm sure it's going to be a battle. It's one of those things where whoever comes to play, is consistent, able to pass and handle the environment, will win. Most of our girls have been here before whether it's starting or on the bench, They've been a part of a championship match. I like our chances. We had to battle to win our division and have played some great competition this year. This is just an entertaining match and we are excited to represent the East. We hope to defend our conference championship."

Homecourt advantage: The match switches back and forth each year between the East and West site. Last year, it was played at Hersey (East champion) so this year the West champ Pirates will play host.

Honorees: The 2015 MSL all-conference team will be announced at 6:25 p.m. prior to warm-ups.

- John Leusch