Harper volleyball set for regional
The No. 9-ranked Harper College women’s volleyball team (34-12) opens NJCAA Divsion III Region IV tournament action today when it hosts the NJCAA Divsion III Region IV tournament semifinals and championship game at the Harper College Sports and Wellness Center.
The second-seeded Hawks punched their ticket to the semifinals when Milwaukee Area Technical College decided to forfeit the quarterfinal that was scheduled to be played Wednesday at Harper.
“We fully expect(ed) to win the match,” said Harper coach Bob Vilsoet.
The Sports and Wellness Center will be the site for Saturday’s semifinals and final. The first semifinal between Joliet Junior College and Madison Area Technical College is at 10 a.m. The Hawks will play in the second semifinal at noon against Rock Valley College with the championship scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
“The final four is exciting,” Vilsoet said. “All four teams (Madison, Joliet, Rock Valley) are capable of winning the tournament. Once the teams are even, volleyball becomes a mental game.”
For the Hawks to reach the championship game they will lean on freshman first-team all-North Central Community College Conference pick Andria Leja and sophomore second team all-N4C pick Lauren LaMasse (Hoffman Estates). The person in charge of setting LaMasse is sophomore setter Alyssa Cazzato (Bartlett).
“She’s a flashy player,” Vilsoet said of Cazzato, who was named first team all-N4C.
Sarah House earned second-team all-N4C honors with 329 kills and 331 digs.
Standing in the Hawks way of winning the regional title are three teams currently ranked in the NJCAA Divsion III poll. No. 10 ranked Rock Valley enters the tournament as the least consistent team. The Golden Eagles are led by 5-foot-11 freshman outside hitter Kristen Kotch. On Thursday, Kotch was named N4C player of the year.
“She can take over a game on the outside,” Vilsoet said of Kotch.
The Hawks are 2-1 this season against Rock Valley and won the last two meetings in Palatine.
With all the Hawks have going for them going into a possible matchup against Rock Valley, Vilsoet admits, “We have some fear of Rock Valley.”
The Hawks will have to be mindful of the Golden Eagles’ middle-J offense.
“They run that very well,” Vilsoet said.
Look for the Hawks to go with a double block of freshman Stephanie Igielski, or the outside hitter combination of LaMasse and House (Crystal Lake South), depending on who is in the game.
The favorite to reach the championship game is top seed Joliet. The Wolves are led by sophomore first team all-N4C outside hitter Mallory Frankovich and sophomore Alexis Nelson.
“We have to make sure we have a double block on those top two hitters,” Vilsoet said. “They’re going to get a lot of kills — we have to limit that with blocking.”
Madison comes in at less than 100 percent as 5-8 sophomore second-team all-N4C outside hitter Hannah Schwartzer has been nursing a sore right shoulder, according to Vilsoet. She did not play in last week’s loss at Harper.