Huntley will go for regional title Saturday
Huntley girls volleyball coach Michelle Jakubowski realized beating Crystal Lake South for a fourth time this season wouldn't be easy.
She was right.
But, in the end the top-seeded Red Raiders staved off the fifth-seeded Gators 25-21, 25-23 in a semifinal match of the Class 4A Huntley regional Thursday night.
“We knew beating South for a fourth time would be very tough,” said Jakubowski. “Every time South made a run the girls kept their composure and bounced back with a run of their own. We served poorly, but we live to see another day and we have tomorrow to get ready for a very good DeKalb team.”
The Red Raiders (32-4) will play second-seeded DeKalb for the regional crown Saturday at 1 p.m. The Barbs advanced to the finals with a 25-21, 25-23 win over Prairie Ridge. South ends the season at 18-16.
“This is by far the best we have played against Huntley this season,” said Gators coach Jorie Fontana. “The girls played with an edge and played to win. I have no complaints with our effort.”
In the decisive second game, the Gators held a 20-17 lead before the Red Raiders fought back with 3 straight points.
Ashley Smith, who led Huntley with 15 kills, pounded a kill off a perfect set from Maryland-bound Amy Dion to tie the score at 20.
With the score tied at 23, Samantha Boesch collected 2 kills to give the Red Raiders the game and match.
Boesch followed Smith with 14 kills. Jaina Jackson added 9 kills for the winners.
South senior Hannah Burkle, playing in her final high school match, paced the Gators with 12 kills and 2 blocks.
CL South d. Jacobs: Crystal Lake South won when it counted most.
Splitting two Fox Valley Conference Valley Division matches during the regular season, the Gators sent fourth-seeded Jacobs home for the season with a hard-fought 25-22, 22-25, 25-15 win over the Golden Eagles. Jacobs ends the 2010 season with a 18-12 mark.
In the deciding third game, the Gators never trailed.
Leading by as many as 12 points, 22-10, South got the match-winner on a kill by Maureen Johnson.
Burkle paced the Gators with 16 kills, 3 blocks and 2 aces while Maureen Johnson added 13 kills and 2 aces.
“In the third game, the mental part of the game was more important than the physical part of the game,” said Fontana. “We played with a sense of urgency and played more aggressively. Our serving and blocking were much better.”
Jacobs got a stellar effort from sophomore Alyssa Ehrhardt, who had 14 kills, 3 blocks and 3 aces.
“I was very proud of the girls,” said Jacobs coach Lisa Dwyer. “We had a very good season. Our passing really hurt us in the third game.”