Girls volleyball: Cary-Grove 4th, Batavia 9th at Jacobs

Competing in 9 matches in 6 days, the fatigue factor finally kicked in for the Cary-Grove Trojan volleyball team during the championship bracket of the Jacobs Invitational Saturday.

Crystal Lake Central defeated the Trojans 25-14, 25-19 in the semifinals while Belvidere North knocked off Cary-Grove for the second time on the day 25-21, 25-14 victory in the third place match.

"The fatigue and tiredness was evident in the third place match," said Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis. "We got caught going through the motions and we don't have the talent to do that. We just didn't have enough energy. On a positive note, it was nice to be in the championship bracket. It has been a couple years since we have been in the position to compete for the championship. "

In the silver bracket, Batavia was ninth with Jacobs 10th, Grant 11th and Boylan 12th.

Batavia defeated Jacobs 25-21, 25-23 to win the Silver.

Jacobs led in set 1 by scores of 5-0 and 15-12, but Batavia tied it at 19-19 behind its serving and defense. In set 2, Batavia had a 10-4 lead, but Jacobs came back to take the lead 13-12 before Batavia battled back to an 15-14 lead and never trailed again.

Batavia leaders in the Silver championship match were Lauren Haefer (9 for 9 passing, 2 aces, 4 kills, 8 digs), Maddy Boyer (10 kills, 9 digs) and Becca Robinson (2 aces, 23 assists, 4 digs).

For the entire tournament, the leaders were Boyer in kills with 24, digs with 33 and blocks with 5, Alexis Whelpley also had 5 blocks, Robinson led in aces with 6 and assists with 56, Emily Acquaviva chipped in 5 aces, and Haefer led Batavia in passing 38 for 43, and chipped in 15 kills and 28 digs.

Both Boyer and Robinson were named to the all-tournament team.

Cary-Grove (5-5), 2-1 in pool play, got off to a good start in the semifinals against Central. On a kill by Evynn Layshock, the Trojans grabbed a 10-8 lead.

It was the last time Cary-Grove would lead in Game 1.

Spearheaded by 4 kills from Madelyn Blake, the Tigers seized control of the game with a 8-0 to take a 6-point 16-10 advantage.

The Trojans didn't threaten the Tigers, who claimed Game 1 on an ace from Karina Simatos.

In Game 2, Central got off to a 5-1 lead after a kill by Camryn Hausler and never trailed. The Tigers' biggest lead was 9, 19-10 after an ace by Blake.

An ace by Grace Levin gave the Tigers the game and match.

All-tournament selections Evynn Layshock (12 kills, 3 blocks) and Jenna Splitt (8 kills, 15 assists, 4 aces) paced the Trojans while Alexis German added 5 kills.

Blake led the Tigers with 10 kills and 4 blocks.

In the third place match against the Blue Thunder, the Trojans struck fast with an 8-3 lead in Game 1 on a kill from Sydney Csoka. Belvidere North countered and seized control of match with a 10-0 run spearheaded by 5 kills from Brookelyn Messenger and took a 5-point advantage, 13-8.

The Trojans tied the match at 21 on a kill by Julia Rice but the Blue Thunder scored the final 4 points capped by a kill by Messenger to win Game 1.

In Game 2, Cary-Grove never lead as Belvidere North led by as many as 14, 23-9 on a kill by Rachel Scott.

Layshock paced the Trojans with 10 kills.

"We have to do a better job of working through the fatigue and tiredness," said Layshock. "We were tired but we have to come up with some energy."

Crystal Lake Central claimed the Jacobs Invitational title for a second straight year with a 32-30, 19-25, 25-16 win over Waukesha Catholic.

In the gold bracket, Hinsdale Central was fifth followed by Marian Central (sixth), Barrington (seventh) and Wheaton North (eighth).