East volleyball rallies after Game 1 loss
By KEVIN DRULEY – kdruley@kcchronicle.com
SCHAUMBURG – The St. Charles East girls volleyball team digested tape of a Willowbrook comeback from a 24-15 deficit in the regional semifinals to prepare for Saturday's IHSA Class 4A Schaumburg Regional title match against the Warriors.
The Saints did their best imitation by the time their 22-25, 25-14, 25-17 win was over. A slump that lasted the entirety of Game 1 sure put the defending state champs in an uncomfortable hole.
"We weren't taking big swings at the start, we weren't really doing great things," sophomore outside hitter Meghan Niski said. "In the second game, we came out with a lot more energy, we were hustling for every ball and if we made a mistake, we didn't accept it."
Senior Jacqui Seidel found her way onto the floor for the second game, too, which carried just as much impact for the Saints (30-6). Sidelined for the semifinals Thursday after spraining her ankle in practice the night before, Seidel collected seven kills and six digs.
Junior Sam Szarmach led the East attack with 14 kills while Niski was next with eight, as the underclassmen benefited from Seidel's built-in sense of security.
"I didn't want to play her tonight," Saints coach Jennie Kull said, "but I knew that if I didn't, I would have been in trouble."
Willowbrook (19-17) captured Game 1 despite bouts with inconsistency on serve-receive, a problem that would sting the team later. The Warriors simply made fewer mistakes than the Saints, who watched several would-be kills sail over the back line.
Thrust into the lineup to begin Game 2, Seidel smacked Warriors libero Valerie Reid in the chin with her first kill, giving the Saints a 3-2 edge. Willowbrook's Caitlin Hopkins' face turned red shortly after that, as East assistant Mike Bui predominantly called serves in the senior's direction.
Crossed up more often than not, Hopkins sent several of the Saints' 11 aces below the net or out of bounds. Melanie Steben often substituted, but Bui made the same successful call once she trotted onto the court.
"Having that advantage in a coach definitely helps us out and better prepares us as a team so we know what to expect going into it," Seidel said. "It was just stay aggressive with your serve and try to hit that zone and make her move and challenge her to pass the ball."
Freshman setter Erienne Barry collected 32 assists and sophomore Maisey Mulvey added 15 digs for the Saints, whose coach thought the experience of a three-game postseason match would be beneficial for a young team.
East also needed three sets to defeat crosstown rival St. Charles North – its opponent in a Class 4A Geneva Sectional semifinal at 6 p.m. Tuesday – down the stretch of the Upstate Eight Conference and regular season.
Senior outside hitter Caroline Niski remains questionable for that match with a sprained ankle. She underwent an MRI Friday and is awaiting results Monday. Her sister and the rest of the Saints are hoping for the best, but still know what they have to do in a pinch.
"Everyone's just stepping up because it's the new season," Meghan Niski said. "Going on that push to state."
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