Girls volleyball: Improved Grayslake North cools off Antioch

Since the opening set wasn't the least bit close, let's move on to the second set of Thursday night's Northern Lake County Conference girls volleyball match at Grayslake North.

Antioch trailed 15-8, but with hard-hitting Cenie Frieson at the serving line, the Sequoits cut their deficit to 17-16.

It was not the Sequoits' night, however.

Grayslake North sophomore Alyssa Gerzel served a pair of aces, Taylor Ebersohl and Emma Hochstein delivered kills, and the host Knights stunned the Sequoits 25-9, 25-22.

Grayslake North improved to 10-14 and 3-1 in the NLCC, while Antioch fell to 13-6-1 and 3-1.

"We really brought the energy tonight," Gerzel said.

Jessica Pozezinski began the Knights' success at the serving line. She took advantage of a number of Antioch miscues and the Knights surged to a quick 9-3 lead in the first set.

"We are really getting better," Pozezinski said. "Bringing this energy really helped. We are really a big happy family here."

Both teams claim young players. Both Gerzel and Pozezinski are sophomores.

"We just came out cold," Antioch coach Greg Bruns said. "We are still a young team."

Gerzel notched a kill and block during Abbigail Cunningham's serving run.

In the first set, Antioch rarely found any momentum. That changed in the second set, and it started with Maiah Moll serving. Ayanna Tommy checked in with a kill. Again with Frieson at the line, newcomer Annika Lindstrom and Grace Weber put down kills to put the visitors back in the contest.

Down the stretch, Rachel Phillips landed a block for the Sequoits. Teagan Johnson, another Grayslake North sophomore, landed a key kill, and Cunningham's ace sealed the deal.

Knights coach Jim Sarver was pleased with his team's defense.

"We just don't let the ball hit the floor," Sarver said. "We start four sophomores. And we are getting better. Jessica is our top serve receiver, and both her and Alyssa are dynamite on offense."