Girls volleyball: Barrington starts postseason with a bang

Barrington's Michelle Mayer-Jakubowski recently joined an elie group of IHSA girls volleyball coaches who have won 600 matches in their careers.

Mayer-Jakubowski, who began her career in 1996 at Winnebago before taking over at Lake Zurich, Huntley and Barrington (now in her 11th season with the Fillies), won her seventh straight regional match Tuesday night in the Class 4A Prospect regional.

Her No. 2 seeded Fillies (27-9) posted a 25-5, 25-16 victory over No. 15 Schaumburg (4-30) and will play for a fourth straight Class 4A regional crown on Thursday at 6 p.m. against No. 10 Prospect (14-19), a 25-23, 14-25, 25-17 winner No. 7 Hersey (18-18) in Mt. Prospect as part of the Fremd sectional.

The three straight regional titles are the longest current streak by any Mid-Suburban League coach.

"It gives us a lot of will to keep the tradition going," said Fillies senior and three-year varsity player Addie Brookbank who led Barrington with 7 kills and 5 digs. "And I think there is also pressure that comes with it to keep the same tradition from the past three years. This was exciting."

The Fillies got off to an exciting start for their fans with the first-game win and then pulled away at the end of the second set which was tied at 4-4.

Three service points by Eve Adler (8 assists) pushed the lead to 17-7 before an ace by Ella Krull (4 digs) made it 22-9. Maggie McClain's kill got the Saxons to within 23-11 and back-to-back service points (ace and kill by Taylor Dolecki) from Leilani Cervantes.

The match wrapped up when Jaelyn Connole (9 assists, 2 aces) set Brookbank for the winner.

"I think we let it go a little bit in the second set but we will work on that in practice," Brookbank said. "There are going to be harder teams down the road who we'll have to push against even more than we just did."

"The girls take great pride in that tradition (the past three regional crowns)," Mayer-Jakubowski said. "It was hurtful for them not winning the Mid-Suburban League West but I think that lit a fire and you'll see a little more disciplined team during the postseason."

In her first postseason as Prospect's coach, Katherine Miles finds herself in a regional championship on her home court.

The Knights, who fell twice to Hersey during the regular season, were led on attack by juniors Alli Linke (11 kills) and Aimee Ciupeiu (7 kills).

Miles said senior setter and three-year starter Lucy Ross was terrific running the offense.

"Everyone on our team was locked in," said the former Maine South standout. "They wanted to win. They played out of their minds. Anna Garland (senior libero) stepped up on defense. Alli Linke played well on the outside and Lucy Ross had a phenomenal night, probably her best match of the season. She kept the offense going, she moved the ball and she served well."

Other Class 4A regionals

At Wheeling: No. 1 seed and Mid-Suburban League champion Fremd (30-6) posted a 25-5, 25-9 triumph over No. 16 Streamwood (6-23) setting up a match against No. 8 Lake Zurich (14-17), which was a 25-22, 25-20 winner over No. 9 Wheeling (19-18).

The title match will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Buffalo Grove High School

At Dundee-Crown: Mid-Suburban East champion and No. 3 Rolling Meadows (28-8) earned a 25-20, 28-26 win over No. 14 and host Dundee-Crown (10-25) in the Fremd sectional.

No. 6 Buffalo Grove (20-14) posted a 25-16, 25-19 triumph over No. 11 Hoffman Estates (16-19). The title match is at 6 p.m Thursday.

At Glenbrook South: No. 6 Lane Tech (29-7) won 25-20, 25-21 over No. 11 Elk Grove (12-19) while No. 3 Glenbrook South (27-6) was a 25-9, 25-9 winner over No. 14 Taft (14-20).

At Conant: No. 4 Stevenson improved to 21-15 with a 25-20, 25-12 victory over No. 13 Conant (9-26). Ava Wysocki ( 10 kills, 5 digs), Abby Inman ( 9 kills, 6 digs) and Ryler Bondad (24 assists, 3 aces, 4 digs) helped lead the Patriots in the Fremd sectional.

At Round Lake: It will be No. 1 Libertyville (23-12) vs. No. 6 Jacobs (14-20) for the title on Thursday at 6 p.m.

The Wildcats earned a 25-10, 25-16 triumph over No. 7 Grant (9-24) while Jacobs won 25-16 25-23 over No. 4 McHenry (18-17) as part of the McHenry sectional.

At Loyola: No. 1 Loyola (29-6) won 25-3, 25-8 over No. 16 Von Steuben (9-10) and will face No. 8 Evanston (13-22) for the title on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Wilkdkits posted a 25-14, Thursday over No. 9 Maine West (10-23).

At Maine East: No. 3 Maine South posted a 25-11, 25-10 win over Leyden while No. 5 Glenbrook North took a 25-12, 25-14 victory over No. 12 Maine East in the New Trier sectional.

Class 3A

At Antioch: No. 1 Prairie Ridge (23-13) netted a 25-3, 25-22 win over No. 8 Cary-Grove (6-27) while No. 4 Carmel (18-18) was a 27-25, 25-19 victor over. No. 5 Antioch (16-13). The championship is Thursday at 6 p.m.

At Lakes: No. 2 Grayslake Central (30-5) took a 25-18 , 25-7 triumph over No. 7 Wauconda (11-25) while No. 3 Lakes (19-14) prevailed 25-15, 25-19 over No. 6 Grayslake North (11-24).

At Ridgewood: No. 3 St. Viator (26-9) rolled to a 25-5, 25-3 triumph over No. 14 Chicago Intrinsic Charter (14-7).

At Sycamore: No. 4 Burlington Central (28-8) netted a 25-15, 25-18 win over vs. No. 13 Sycamore (10-22), and No. 5 Vernon Hills (22-13) was a 25-11, 25-10 winner over No. 12 Chicago Amundsen (17-12).