St. Charles E. ousts CL South

There were plenty of teary eyes on the faces of the Crystal Lake South girls volleyball team Saturday afternoon.

The Gators won the opening game of the Class 4A Elgin supersectional and were a game away from a trip to Redbird Arena and the state semifinals. But St. Charles East rallied to win the final two games and end the Gators' season with a 20-25, 25-23, 25-17 victory.

"Right now it stings, but overall I think, we should be really proud of ourselves this year," said Gators senior Erin Johnson, who finished with a match-high 20 kills.

CL South was playing in the supersectional for the first time since 1996, which was the Gators' fifth trip in a six-year span.

"My four seniors, as I told them, left this program a lot better because they've been a part of this," first-year South coach Jorie Fontana said. "They've set a standard now for the rest of these girls to look up to and work hard to accomplish again."

The Gators (32-8) came out in the opening game and did exactly what they do best, set Johnson. Johnson had kills on three of the Gators' first 4 points and had 9 in Game 1.

With the first game tied at 15-15, the Saints committed three consecutive errors before the Gators' Caitlin Schumacher had one of her 9 kills as South took a 19-15 lead. East got within 2, 22-20, before back-to-back kills from Johnson gave the Gators game point. Johnson and Lena Mack combined for a block as South 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 3 points. East led 20-18 when Jacqui Seidel took over. She had a kill to give the Saints a 21-18 lead and another 2 points later for a 22-19 advantage. A tip kill and a kill out of the middle from Seidel gave East game point. After Johnson saved one game point with a kill, East freshman Meghan Niski had one of her 15 kills to force Game 3.

"(Seidel) wanted this and took control," East coach Jennie 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 3, 16-13. 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 Niski had five and Caroline Niski added four.

"(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.' "