Girls volleyball: CL Central answers Dundee-Crown's charge
Crystal Lake Central played clean, fast and effective in the first set against Dundee-Crown, but fully expected the Chargers, a team that made the biggest jump in the Fox Valley Conference last season, to have a better showing in the second.
"I told them between Set 1 and 2, that's not their normal play," Central coach Amy Johnson said. "We had to come back ready for them, and we did. We had a little bit of a hiccup in Set 2, but obviously at the end, [we] were able to pull it out.
"That's kind of what you want to see right now. For them to be able to get out of those little ruts quickly."
Central withstood D-C's run in the second set and came away with a 25-11, 25-21 win, improving to 2-1 overall and in the FVC.
On Tuesday, it was junior captains Mykaela Wallen and Siena Smiejek who came through with the game's biggest swings and points when the Tigers needed them the most.
Smiejek, a middle blocker, provided two kills and two blocks in the second set, while Wallen, an outside hitter, had a key tip shot that ended a 6-1 run for the Chargers that had cut the Tigers' lead from 21-15 to 22-21.
After a shot went long by the Chargers to make it 24-21, Tigers junior setter Gabbie Anderson ended the match with one of eight team aces.
Wallen and the Tigers weren't caught off guard by D-C's improved play in the second set.
"We talked before the game that Dundee-Crown's a really strong team and we have to come out with lots of energy," said Wallen, who led the Tigers with nine kills, six digs and three aces. "We had to focus, have a good mindset and cheer each other on.
"We're a very emotionally motivated team. We knew it was going to be a fun game for both sides."
Johnson felt the Chargers (0-3, 0-3) turned up their defensive pressure.
"It seemed like Dundee-Crown was giving us a lot of free balls, but they were also playing really great defense against our transition on the free balls," Johnson said. "We ended up making errors in those long rallies, and that's something that we have to improve on. Dundee-Crown just out-dug us."
Johnson wasn't surprised that Wallen and Smiejek came through with key points late.
"I expect big things out of them all the time," Johnson said. "The good thing is that all six [players on the court] believe in each other. All six can do that."
Smiejek said the Tigers felt confident, even when their lead kept shrinking.
Central, which was runner-up to Huntley in the FVC last year, graduated only one starter.
"We all know each other so well at this point," Smiejek said. "We're all comfortable with each other and trust each other. I can count on Mykaela to do what she has to do, I can count on Alexis [Hadeler] and Anna [Starr] and everybody else. We kept up the energy the whole match."
Hadeler posted nine digs and two aces, Mia Ginter had six digs, and Anderson had eight digs, seven assists and a pair of aces, including the match-winner.
Dundee-Crown was led by senior middle blocker Audrey Prusko with five kills. Junior Allison Mathesius added three kills.
The Chargers made big strides last season and improved by 13 wins, going from last to fourth place in the FVC. D-C did lose some key players to graduation, however.
Dundee-Crown first-year coach Alexis Cayton said the team is still looking for confidence.
"Everything was there in the second set, they didn't look scared anymore," Cayton said. "They truly believed they had that game. It was nice to see them come together and believe it for themselves. After last season, they kind of felt like they weren't going to be able to win again [with the losses to graduation].
"But they have the talent to do it, and they're starting to believe it."