Girls volleyball: Aurora Central Catholic finds way to beat Lisle
The name of the ACC head coach was incorrect in previous versions of this story.
Most times, sports are not easy, but sometimes, the concepts are.
In the case of Aurora Central Catholic edging Lisle in an IHSA Class 2A girls volleyball regional showdown Monday night, that simple concept was: Put the ball where they ain't.
"I think we just started being smart with where we were hitting the ball," Chargers coach Claire Gartland said about her team's late surge. "Instead of just swinging away at it, look at where the open spots are."
When Gartland and her staff noticed a hole in the Lions defense in the second set, they relayed the message to the players, helping the No. 5 Chargers eke out a 25-22, 25-23 playoff win over host and 12th-seeded Lisle.
With the score tied at 22-22 in Game 2, Gartland called time out. Out of the timeout, the Chargers got back-to-back kills from Jessica Estrada and Chloe Ruge to cinch the win.
"Sometimes (the players) may not notice because they are doing a million other things," Gartland said, "but it was me and my assistant going, 'The back corner is completely empty; put it there.'"
Another key down the stretch was the serving of Khya Phillippe, Aurora Central's setter who finished with a game-high 5 aces.
Her team was down 18-17 when Phillippe's two aces keyed a 3-point burst to give the Chargers a late lead.
"I really just don't think about it. I go back there, take a few breaths, concentrate on what zone (coach) is giving me," Phillippe said. "I just try to succeed in hitting those zones."
The first set was also a volatile affair.
Lisle took an early 3-1 lead, but Aurora Central quickly responded with a 10-0 run to take control.
The Chargers kept the Lions at an arm's length for most of the set, but Lisle showed no quit and moved to within 2 points late. That fight is something coach Jamie Buhnerkemper has seen throughout the latter part of the season.
"We kinda saw it at the turn of the season: It didn't matter who was on the other side of the court; we were playing our hearts out," she said. "I really applaud the girls for that. It didn't matter what the score was on scoreboard; we were playing 100 percent all the time."
The second set was more of the same, with the Chargers running out to a lead - 11-6 this time - and the Lions roaring back.
Lisle actually held the lead at 18-16 late, thanks to a kill from Emma Fasone, but Aurora Central's serving and placement proved to be the difference and ended the Lions' season.
"As a new coach coming in and expecting some things from them, each day we got better, each match we got better," Buhnerkemper said. "It was definitely a positive season. We met our goals from the beginning of the year: winning more games (eight overall), finishing higher in conference, making the top bracket of a tournament. It was successful."
The Chargers moved to 19-17 and earned a date with the sectional's No. 3 seed, Wheaton Academy. The teams squared off in early September with the Warriors winning 25-20, 25-21.
But at this point in the season, Gartland knows her team can pull off the upset. She just needs them to believe it.
"Just getting the right attitude going into it is what we've been focusing on this year, realizing that we can actually accomplish what we set out to do," she said. "We just have to remember that we're setting out to do it."