Girls volleyball: Huntley gets back at St. Charles East, wins sectional

It's not like Huntley needed any extra incentive playing for a sectional championship Wednesday night, but the Red Raiders got it from the team on the other side of the net.

St. Charles East ended Huntley's season the last two seasons including last year as an underdog in the sectional championship game on the Red Raiders' home court.

Top-seeded Huntley got its revenge Wednesday in the Class 4A Dundee-Crown sectional title game, clicking from the get-go while dominating both sets of a 25-13, 25-15 victory over the Saints.

After celebrating with students, family and friends, the Red Raiders acknowledged how much sweeter the sectional title was because of who they beat to get it.

"We were so pumped coming into it," senior libero Josie Schmitendorf said. "It was all the motivation we needed. We came out with a lot of energy. Everything was working tonight."

Huntley (34-5) advances to Friday's Streamwood supersectional against another DuKane Conference opponent, Wheaton Warrenville South.

"That (the last two seasons) was a lot of our motivation to be matched up with the team that's knocked you out twice," Huntley coach Karen Naymola said. "It was perfect motivation."

Naymola called the victory her team's best played game of the season.

"Everyone came out and was ready to compete and swung aggressive," Naymola said. "They did everything they have worked on in practice. Couldn't have asked for a better effort."

Third-seed St. Charles East (25-14) fell behind early. Down 18-11, Saints coach Jennie Kull called timeout but the Red Raiders closed the first set out strong including back-to-back kills by Kylie Jenkins for a 24-13 lead, then a Jenkins block on set point.

Jenkins had a similar stretch in the second set with three kills in a four-point sequence that helped Huntley turn an 11-11 tie into a 19-11 lead. She finished with a match-high 8 kills.

"I knew at that moment we couldn't let down, we had to take charge and take control of the game," Jenkins said. "We had to go all out and play our game and play as a family."

Huntley played an all-around game. In addition to the hitting, Taylor Jakubowski spread her sets around to the middles and outsides for 23 assists, and Schmitendorf led in the back with 25 digs.

As the Red Raiders pulled away in the second set, Schmitendorf frustrated the Saints by keeping rallies alive. Emma Konie, who finished with 16 digs, blasted her sixth and final kill on match point.

"As a libero my mindset going into every game is not to let the ball hit the floor," Schmitendorf said. "If I have to get my bruises, get my floor burns, anything to keep the ball off the ground."

Ashley Konecki added 6 kills for the Red Raiders who are one win away from their first trip to state since 2001.

"We knew if we could force our middle we'd be in a good spot and the girls were passing so well and so consistent we were able to run our middle," Naymola said. "This means everything to them and we're not done yet. We're just really excited."

While high-fiving and thanking all the St. Charles East students who came to support her team, Kull praised the Red Raiders' play.

"Huntley played very well," Kull said. "They were ready to play. They were ready to go. We just didn't have it today. Bottom line. They were almost effortless tonight. They were like a machine and we didn't have an answer. They were not going to let us do three in a row, I'll tell you that."

Kull said the comeback win over St. Charles North in the semifinals Monday took a little out of her team, and she could sense that in Tuesday's practice.

But the loss doesn't take away from another outstanding season. The Saints will graduate six seniors - Emily Stallmann, Lauren Pondel, Jessica Garland, Nicole Luzi, Amarion Isbell and Rachel Sheehan.

"I'm proud of them," Kull said. "They exceeded our expectations. We're definitely going to miss those seniors."