Girls volleyball notes: McHenry looks for more growth in competitive FVC

For a team with raised expectations, McHenry’s start to the season was far from ideal.

The Warriors had a challenging first-week schedule against Woodstock North (last year’s Kishwaukee River Conference champion), Prairie Ridge and Huntley (last year’s Fox Valley Conference runner-up and Class 4A supersectional qualifer).

McHenry lost all three matches, but fifth-year coach Hilary Agnello saw glimpses of what she thinks can be a very strong team by season’s end.

“I think our win-loss record isn’t reflective of our season,” Agnello said. “I actually do think this is a very talented team and one of the hardest working. We just needed a little time to put it all together. We start off with Woodstock North, which game-planned us out of that win, Prairie Ridge is really good, and Huntley is really good. We played well. It was 0-3 but they were good losses.”

[ Read more: McHenry’s Mollie Hobson comes up big in FVC win over Hampshire ]

Since starting 0-3, the Warriors have gone 6-2. McHenry was runner-up at the Rochelle Invite on Saturday and has since picked up FVC wins against Jacobs and Hampshire.

McHenry’s offense is led by a pair of big hitters in Mollie Hobson and Ella Boland, both juniors. Sophomore Ella Jenkins is the Warriors’ new setter, and libero Kendall Krumsee and middle blocker Lynette Alsot, both seniors, have provided key leadership on and off the court.

Against Hampshire, Agnello pointed to the play of Alsot and Krumsee as contributing factors to securing the win.

“Lynette always carries the weight emotionally for the team,” Agnello said. “My libero, Kendall, same thing, huge senior leadership for us. We wouldn’t be where we are without them.”

Hobson, an All-FVC selection last year with Ella Boland, said the Warriors are still working out some early-season kinks, but she likes the direction of the team.

McHenry finished 7-11 in the FVC a year ago.

“I think we’re still getting used to each other,” Hobson said. “In the beginning, everything is always a little awkward because you have people from different club teams and people from different age groups. I think we’ve just gotten better as playing together as a team, things are starting to click for us.

“Our conference is so competitive. I think it helps us improve as a team and even as individuals, so it’s really nice to get the chance to play with great teams every week.”

Hopeful Whips: Hampshire first-year coach Rejhan Vunic is hoping to turn things around for the Whip-Purs after the team finished 14-17 last season. So far, the Whips are 4-5 overall and 1-4 in FVC play. Vunic knows it isn’t going to be a quick fix.

“I want to change what Hampshire is known for,” Vunic said. “I want to build a winning culture, and I think a lot of kids are on board with that, especially the older kids. The young ones who are new to all this, they are definitely pulling their weight. It’s looking good, we’re progressing.

“I think if they keep pushing in practice, we’re going to look really good in the second half.”

Vunic said the team’s growth since the summer has been impressive. Seniors Gabi Peter (64 kills, 17 aces) and Emily Mohr (100 assists, 14 aces) have been two of the Whips’ biggest impact players.

“There’s been a lot of progression from where they were in summer league,” Vunic said. “There is a lot of young talent the next few seasons. Right now the seniors are trying to pick it up a little bit. They’re trying to lead the freshmen and sophomores, and we’re looking at it being a good second half to the season.”

One of those freshman standing out for the Whips so far has been middle blocker Sam Freeman, who had six blocks in the team’s loss to McHenry on Tuesday.

“She’s killing it out there, especially for a freshman,” Vunic said. “We’re definitely building up to couple of really good years.”

Chargers rising: Dundee-Crown has been the surprise team of the FVC so far with a 4-1 record. That’s already more conference wins than the Chargers had in the previous two seasons combined.

Audrey Prusko and Kylie Hanson led the team with seven and six kills, respectively, in a two-set win over Crystal Lake Central on Tuesday, but the Chargers’ hot start has been a total team effort, coach Tiffany Dumas said.

“An absolute team effort from every single person,” Dumas said. “I believe that’s the key that is keeping our team strong right now. I’m extremely proud of them ... and I’m proud to coach them.”