St. Charles East tops Crystal Lake South at Supersectionals

Jacqui Seidel, a junior on the St. Charles East girls volleyball team, wanted to head back to Redbird Arena.

Everytime the Saints needed her Saturday afternoon, the outside hitter/setter came through.

Seidel had 4 kills in the final five St. Charles East points in Game 2 and had 5 kills in the deciding Game 3 to help the Saints to a 20-25, 25-23, 25-17 victory over Crystal Lake South in the Class 4A Elgin supersectional and another trip to Normal.

"To make it two years back-to-back, it's an honor," Seidel said. "I decided to step up and be a leader."

The Saints (36-4) will play Evanston, which beat Fremd in the Mundelein supersectional, at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the first Class 4A semifinal. Last season, the Saints finished third at state.

"Two years in a row going down state, I feel blessed," Saints coach Jennie Kull said. "I'm so lucky to get the opportunity to be with these kids for another week."

Crystal Lake South (32-8), playing in its first supersectional since 1996, came out in the opening game and did exactly what it does best - set senior middle hitter Erin Johnson. Johnson had kills on three of the Gators' first four points and had 9 in Game 1.

With the first game tied at 15, the Saints committed three consecutive errors before the Gators' Caitlin Schumacher had one of her 9 kills as South took a 19-15 lead. The Saints got within 22-20, before back-to-back kills from Johnson gave the Gators game point. Johnson and Lena Mack combined for a block as the Gators took Game 1.

"It was a touch match. We knew they were a really good team and it would take a lot to beat them." Johnson said. "In the end, I think they made less mistakes than us."

The second game went back and forth with neither team leading by more than three points. St. Charles East led 20-18 when Seidel took over. She had a kill to give the Saints a 21-18 lead and another two points later for a 22-19 advantage.

A tip kill and a kill out of the middle from Seidel gave the Saints game point. After Johnson saved one game point with a kill, St. Charles East freshman Meghan Niski had one of her 15 kills to force Game 3.

"(Seidel) wanted this and took control," Kull said.

The Saints jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the deciding game and did not allow the Gators to get any closer than 16-13. St. Charles East setter Laura Homann, who finished with 41 assists, spread the ball around nicely in Game 3 as three different Saints players had four or more kills. Seidel and Meghan Niski had five and Caroline Niski added four. Caroline Niski finished with 15 kills and 13 digs.

"(South) came out really strong in the first game and it took us off game," Homann said. "In Game 2, we were like, 'If this is going to be our last game, we're coming out strong and finishing this off on our terms.'"

For the second straight year, the Saints will finish off their season at Redbird Arena.