Copyright Shaw Local Enewspapers
The Sycamore volleyball team came into Tuesday’s Interstate 8 Conference match at Kingman Gym against Ottawa on senior night needing a win to stay in the running for a possible share of the league’s regular-season title. The Spartans (18-14, 6-3) scored seven of the final 10 points in each set to post a 25-21, 25-20 over the Pirates (9-21-2, 1-8) and kept a chance for championship alive. Sycamore hosts co-leader Morris (7-2) on Thursday, while the same night La Salle-Peru (7-2) will travel to take on Kaneland (4-5). “There is still some wiggle room for us, but we had to take of things here tonight to keep that chance alive,” Sycamore coach Jennifer Charles said. “We’ve taken it one match at a time all season and talked about using the match in front of us to build for the next one. Tonight, it was all about coming here, playing well, and keeping our chances open. “We have always had great matches with Morris, so well come ready to go on Thursday and see how everything plays out.” Sycamore held leads of 6-2, 14-10 and 16-11 in the opening set, but Ottawa closed to within 19-18 on a kill by Kerrigan Cooney and blocks by Savannah Markey and Bella Knoll. But from there a kill and block on consecutive points by Spartans’ junior Madilyn Patton stole the momentum back and the visitors were able to close out the set. “I feel like in those final few points of a set you want to make sure you’re ready to make a play when the chance comes your way,” Patton said. “That’s what I was thinking there at the end of the first set and fortunately the chances came my way, and I was able to capitalize on them. Then I was able to serve there late in the second set, and I felt like I made a couple of tough serves to keep Ottawa off-balance.” The second set featured 11 ties, including at 17-all. A pair of Ottawa hitting errors and two kills by Khiara Thomas made it 21-17. The Pirates used kills by Markey and Cooney to close the gap, but two more kills by Thomas and two miscues by the hosts close out the set and match. In the final few points of the second set Sycamore made numerous dazzling defensive plays. “These girls came into this season really wanting to be a solid defensive team and they’ve been pretty solid,” Charles said. “All season long our blocking has been really good, and it was again tonight.” “I feel like that a strength of this team is when a set gets into the latter stages everyone really picks up the energy and works hard to make the little plays,” Patton added. “We played well at the end of each set tonight.” Thomas led Sycamore with a match-best nine kills, to go along with two blocks and five service points including an ace. Patton had six kills and six points, with Ava Wente-Argo and Sophia Lichthardt each adding four kills. Cooney led her team with six kills, followed by four by Savannah Markey, and three apiece by Belle Markey and Bella Knoll (two blocks). Ashlynn Ganiere had 12 assists and Jordan Allen seven helpers. Seniors Allen, Bella Markey, Cooney and Mary Stisser, the latter making her first appearance of the season and providing four service points, were all honored before the match. “We hung in there and overall, I thought we played pretty well,” Ottawa coach Kristina Kore said. “Our blocking hurt us a little bit tonight, and when a team has someone like No. 8 (Thomas) you have to be aware of where she’s at and hopefully limit her. We just weren’t really able to slow her down in critical moments. “Mary was cleared to play from her ankle injury late last week, so for her to get a chance to get out on the floor for senior night was special. She’s been a great teammate all season despite not being able to contribute on the floor. It gave us a lift and stretches of momentum.” Both squads are back in action on Thursday with Ottawa at Rochelle and Sycamore hosting Morris.
