Practice plan works to perfection for C-G

Practice truly made perfect for the Cary-Grove girls volleyball team on Tuesday, while the reverse held true for Crystal Lake South.

Host Cary-Grove executed its game plan flawlessly to get a leg up on the Gators in the Valley Division of the Fox Valley Conference with a 25-23, 25-18 victory.

Trojans coach Patty Langanis chose to blanket Illinois-bound middle hitter Erin Johnson while putting up a single block on the Gators' outside hitters. That plan put pressure on the Cary-Grove defense, but the back line - led by 13 digs apiece from senior Hayley Shaw junior Kayla Klinger - gave the strategy legs. Johnson finished with just 3 kills, and the Trojans swept to victory.

"Everything we tried was working and everything was falling our way," Langanis said. "Next time we play we have no idea what's going to happen there, but it was nice to see your practice plan working so well because that so rarely happens."

From the Gators' perspective, things were a bit off kilter before the match ever started. CL South coach Jorie Fontana said a poor practice on Monday carried over.

"When the energy's off, they don't realize how much that carries into the match," Fontana said. "Their warmups were off, the sets were a little off, the hitting was a little off. It was one of those nights where they'll either pull it together miraculously or they won't, and tonight they couldn't.

"I don't want to take anything away from Cary. They played well, they played consistent. And when a team like us can't seem to get it together that's all you've got to do."

Game 1 was a nailbiter, featuring 8 ties and 4 lead changes. The game was knotted at 19 apiece when sophomore Kelly Lamberti sent a booming cross-court spike to the floor to give the Trojans the lead. Senior Allison Straumann followed with a soft tip to the middle of the floor and shrugged afterward as if to say, 'Hey, it was there.' Lamberti finished the match with 10 kills and Struamann 9.

Crystal Lake South (11-2, 2-1) staved off 2 game points, thanks to a line violation by the Trojans and a block kill by Katie Trayser (4 kills).

But Cary-Grove (20-3, 3-0) took Game 1 when a frenzied rally ended when the Gators hit a shot beyond the end line.

Game 2 was tied at 13 before the Trojans went on a 10-2 run to take command. Cary-Grove senior Tori Sandstrom spiked an Abbey Heredia quick set to an open corner to spark the move. A booming kill off the fist of junior Colleen Hargrove and a back-row hit to open floor by Lamberti only fueled Cary's momentum.

"They came out very consistent, and I think it was the first team we've played that's really challenged us and made us make adjustments that we didn't make or took too long to make, so it's a tough loss," Johnson said. "But it's the beginning of the season. We've got a lot to work on and a lot more time to work on those things."

Sandstrom closed out the match with emphasis by spiking a ball so powerfully it ricocheted off a Gator defender's face before she could deflect it.

"It was awesome," said Sandstrom. "Winning on our home court, there's nothing better than that"