Boys volleyball: Stevenson upends Libertyville

Get this.

The Stevenson setter is going to Harvard University. Yes, the one in Massachusetts So Will Sorenson will take his volleyball skills to this storied college next year.

But did Sorenson enlighten the school about his rocket serve.? That blistering whir of a volleyball that frankly scares some folks?

"We knew coming into the season, that we have four guys who can really rip serves well,'' Sorenson said.

On the surface on Wednesday night, it pitted visiting Stevenson with one loss and home-standing Libertyville with one win.

In the first set, the Wildcats (1-7) were within 9-7 when Sorenson went to the service line. He got help from a Gavin Ming kill and the Patriots' lead was 12-8. Stevenson breezed, as expected, in set one 25-17.

And suddenly, the young Wildcats awakened. And especially the guy in the mask. Patrick Graham played with a facial injury but that didn't stop this junior.

"He wasn't having any fun with the tape on his face,'' said Libertyville coach Jenny Smith. "And Patrick really gets fired up out there."

Talk about your seesaw match. Both teams let it all fly. It was tied early. It was tied late. Thomas Finn claimed to have one ace for his Patriots and it was the telling blow in the 32-30 win in the second set to take the North Suburban Conference match.

Ming finished with 12 kills for Stevenson.

"In this game, everyone showed up to play for us,'' Ming said.

"That was crazy,'' said Stevenson coach Eric Goolish about the endless second set. "But it was also fun."

Goolish knows that Libertyville graduated plenty of strong performers from a year ago.

"This was a conference match,'' he added. "And it's against a rival"

Sorenson recalled a match during his sophomore season.

"I think we beat Hersey, 34-32,'' he said.

Down the stretch, both teams missed serves. Ming especially crunched the ball in the latter part of the second set.

"We have a younger team this year,'' Smith said. "And they lack experience. But tonight, we won a lot of long rallies."

Graham won the kills race for his team with 8 kills. He also had a pair of blocks. Sorenson had 21 assists for the Patriots.