Girls volleyball: Morris sees program’s winningest season end in regional final

MORRIS — On the verge of its first regional championship since 2015, the Morris volleyball team along with head coach Scott Howell knew it’d have its hands full facing Chicago Heights Marian Catholic.

The Spartans had only 11 wins entering the contest, but play within the East Suburban Catholic Conference, arguably one of the most talented leagues in the state.

The Morris girls and Howell soon found out that Marian volleyball – which has a long and successful history – was more than ready to add to its 25 regional plaques despite the low win total after an impressive 25-18, 25-21 victory over the home squad.

That closed out the Class 3A Morris Regional and gave the No. 5-seeded Spartans (12-20) their 26th regional championship while denying No. 3 seed Morris (29-8) its sixth regional crown after the winningest volleyball campaign in Morris High School lore.

“Before the seedings came out, I thought we’d be up at the top, and I saw Marian was hanging out with eight or nine wins, and I knew that wasn’t the team they were because they play in such a tough conference,” Howell said. “I thought that was the team we really didn’t want to face in a regional championship.

“But here we were, and give them credit, because they are an incredible team, and they really earned another regional title to add to their great list from the past.”

Morris received strong efforts from seniors Natalie Lawton (nine kills, five digs), Hanna Lauterbach (five kills) and Kayla Jepson (nine digs). Junior Ava Smith (six kills, seven digs) also produced a nice showing.

But the home team couldn’t match the balanced hitting attack from the Spartans, as senior Mila Popovic (nine kills, six digs) and juniors Carrington Smith (five kills), Olivia Helfen (five kills) and Michelle Charles (five kills) were the recipients of some fine setting from senior Cassandra Cross (16 assists), who spread out the Marian attack.

“We certainly play in a very challenging conference which has prepared us well for the postseason, no doubt, and that showed tonight against a very good Morris team,” Marian first-year coach Hannah Krydynski said. “We knew that even though we only had 11 wins coming into this championship match that we were ready to compete at a high level.

“I’m so proud of the girls. They all know of the volleyball legacy we have at Marian. They certainly added to that tonight.”

The Spartans were strong from the start of game one, building a 17-8 lead after a left-side laser beam kill from Popovic. But Morris countered with an 8-2 run after an ace off the serve from Mia Olvera and a middle stuff block from Aubrey Phillips to cut the gap to 19-16.

However, Marian struck back with a 6-2 rally of its own and grabbed game one after an ace by Cross on set point.

The Spartans once again led for the vast majority of game two. But Morris cut the margin to only one point twice. Smith’s left-side dagger cut Marian’s led to 13-12 before Phillip’s middle kill eventually shaved the Spartans lead to 22-21.

But three consecutive attack errors from Morris closed out the proceedings, as Marian moves on to the Joliet Catholic Academy Sectional semifinals against the host Angels, while Morris concludes its most successful season in terms of wins.

“A couple of years ago when we got into a regional championship, it was just great to be there,” Howell said. “Now we’re competing in regional championship games at a high level. I know eventually we’ll be winning regional championships not too far into the future.

“I told the girls this loss doesn’t change anything, because this was one of the best volleyball teams ever to come through Morris, and a 29-win season proves that.”