Girls volleyball: Loyola-bound Brents sets table with serves as Dundee-Crown tops Burlington Central
Dundee-Crown’s Tori Brents scratched the surface of her potential last season, but she has taken that next step as a junior.
The Loyola-bound setter, who fills up a stat sheet like few in the area, has accepted the challenge of being all over the court for the Chargers.
She can’t do it alone, however.
“My team has been a big support system,” Brents said. “Everyone has been there for me and I know no matter the mistake, even it’s my serving, which I’ve struggled with this season, when I get those serves like I did (Wednesday), they’re there for me and excited for me and cheer for me.
“It’s just always good to know that I have people standing behind me.”
Brents was a standout again Wednesday night, coming through with 10 assists, four blocks and three kills in a 25-13, 25-21 Fox Valley Conference win at Burlington Central.
Harnessing her wicked jump serve, Brents also served four aces for Dundee-Crown (20-13, 9-9), while Erin Bruce finished with nine kills. Laraiya Cunningham-Duncan led host Burlington Central (27-7, 13-5) with four kills and Dayton recruit Ainsley Wilson added three.
Entering Wednesday’s match, Brents led the team in assists and blocks while sitting third in digs and kills and fourth in aces. That’s quite a workload, but Chargers coach Patty Langanis is proud of how she handles it.
“She wears the weight of the world sometimes knowing that her success will bring the team success,” Langanis said. “Sometimes, her understanding that massive role is not easy, but she’s really starting to grow into it and know that a lot depends on her.”
Langanis is a big proponent of the jump serve, and Brents has been off and on the past two seasons. When it clicks like it did in Wednesday’s first game, however, that patience is validated.
She served nine straight points, including two aces. Four points came on errors as the Rockets scrambled to try to return Brents’ serves.
“Patty has trusted me,” Brents said. “Everyone supported me to make the decision to do my top serve and I got on a roll. To hear the crowd explode and my teammates cheer was great.”
Bruce confirmed when Brents gets it going, it gets the whole team going.
“Oh my goodness, it’s actually amazing,” Bruce said. “Every ball I can trust is either going to be an ace or we’re going to get some sort of out-of-system free ball. It really shakes them up.
“It’s really cool to see.”
Brents’ main gig is setting, though. Her soft hands and quick decision-making make things easier for Bruce, her club teammate at Sky High, to do her thing. She’s approaching 300 kills this fall.
“We’ve been playing together forever,” Bruce said. “It’s really great getting to grow as players over time. I can always trust her to give me what I need. It’s a really special thing.”
Langanis can always trust on Brents bringing the Chargers what they need as well.
“We want the ball in her hands,” Langanis said. “We run a 6-2 to try to set her. She’s our big blocker.”
Loyola took notice. After three visits, Brents committed in July.
“I’ve been a big city girl my whole life,” Brents said. “I love that I’m going to be able to stay close to home and my parents and friends can visit whenever they want.”
Brents and Co. are also looking for the program’s first regional title since 2010. The Chargers ended the regular season with nine straight wins and will host a regional next week.
“This year we really focused on the mindset of resiliency, especially since we’re considered the underdog,” Brents said. “We wanted to take it to a new level.”