Volleyball: L-P makes key runs in 3-set win over Sycamore

LA SALLE – The La Salle-Peru volleyball team made runs at the right times Thursday.

The Cavaliers scored 10 of the final 11 points in the first set and had a few key runs in the third set to pull out a 25-16, 24-26, 25-20 victory over Sycamore in an Interstate 8 Conference match.

“I thought we played very well tonight,” L-P coach Mark Haberkorn said. “We stepped up our level of play when it was necessary.

“It seemed like at times we were a little flat, and then all of a sudden we’d get the momentum on our side and we’d make a run. Then they’d make a run. We were fortunate we made the runs in the first set and third set. We could have won the second set, but they finished. They had mo’ on their side. It was just a game of runs.”

The first set was tied seven times, the last at 15-15, before three consecutive Sycamore errors gave the momentum to the Cavaliers.

The Spartans scored only one more point – on a block by Jaycie Funderburg to make it 18-16 L-P – and committed four more errors before a tip by Katie Sowers ended the set in L-P’s favor.

“It just really helps to talk to each other,” Sowers said about sustaining the run. “A big part of it is attitude. We tend to play a lot worse when we get down on ourselves, but if we try our best to keep each other up, we play much better together.”

“We tend to play a lot worse when we get down on ourselves, but if we try our best to keep each other up, we play much better together.”

—  Katie Sowers, L-P girls volleyball

The Cavs grabbed a 5-2 lead in the second set and led until they made four straight errors to tie it at 12-12.

Neither team led by more than four points the rest of the way. L-P reached match point at 24-23 on a tip by Addison Urbanski, but three consecutive kills by Laci Neece sent the match to a third set.

“Our serves were a big key,” Sycamore coach Jennifer Charles said. “We started making good shots on offense, putting balls where they weren’t. We were using their blocks really well. I think our offense was at its highest in the second set compared to the first and third sets.”

The Cavs led throughout the third set with a three-point run by Kalli Ware giving L-P a 12-6 lead and back-to-back points by Sowers putting L-P ahead 20-14.

The teams traded points the rest of the way. Kills by Grace Lichtardt and Ava Carpenter pulled Sycamore within 23-20, but back-to-back blocks by Ava Currie sealed the win for the Cavs.

“We had the energy again,” Sowers said about the third set. “It really helped. We knew it was time we had to execute. We put a couple really good plays together, and it worked out well.”

The Cavs (14-3, 2-1 I-8) used a balanced offensive attack with six kills each from Urbanski and Currie and five kills each from Sowers and Aubrey Duttlinger. Sowers had 13 assists, and Urbanski had 12.

“Our defense is very good. It’s good to have those good passes so we can run all of our hitters and move the ball around,” Sowers said. “It keeps the blockers moving, and it leaves us open for more hits.”

L-P also had a strong defensive effort at the net with six blocks from Currie and four from Urbanski, and in the back row with six digs from Marissa Sanchez and five from Kaylee Abens.

“We did a good job blocking them,” Haberkorn said. “We got a lot of hands on balls. But those two outside hitters are very, very good. We got some big digs, which was a big part of our victory tonight.”

The Spartans (4-5, 2-1) relied on their outside hitters to provide the bulk of their offense, as Neece slammed down 15 kills. Carpenter put down nine kills.

“I think everyone played well, I just don’t think we’re playing well enough,” Charles said. “We need to do a better job clumping points when we’re down.”