Mount assisi stellar in 'preview'

Mount Assisi didn't shock the volleyball world at this weekend's Nike Preview at Mother McAuley High School, but the Eagles did stamp themselves as a team to definitely keep an eye on.

After winning a pair of three-game matches against Barrington and St. Edward, Mount Assisi took Game 1 against heavily-favored Cary-Grove before losing the Gold division title match 20-25, 25-17, 25-18.

"The title match didn't turn out in our favor and that's unfortunate," Mount Assisi senior Annie Szram said. "But we came in ranked sixth in this tournament and we ended up in the championship. So I'm proud of us."

Szram had six kills. Emily Gunter (7 kills), Jackie Dalcerro (15 digs) and Mary Broadhurst (16 assists) also were among the leaders for the Eagles, who improved to 9-6 on the season.

For a while, it appeared as if an upset was in the making.

Down 2-0 in Game 1 after back-to-back kills by Cary-Grove's Tori Sandstrom and Kelly Lamberti, Mount Assisi responded with a 5-0 outburst. Kills by Gunter bookended the rally, and in between the Eagles forced the Trojans into three unforced errors.

It would happen more than a few more times as Game 1 went on.

"We usually are smart defensively," Szram said. "We would send it to their setter, who wouldn't be able to do anything with the ball and scramble. When you put it in the middle they really couldn't do anything with it."

The Eagles were able to nurse one and two-point leads until finally breaking away near the end thanks to an ace serve by Szram, two more kills by Gunter and a tip for the 25th point by Kathryn Landis.

Cary-Grove, however, did not make as many mistakes the rest of the match, and it showed up on the scoreboard.

The Trojans broke open Game 2 with a 5-0 run that put them ahead 19-12. Game 2 was never close after a 6-1 start for Cary-Grove, which improved to 17-3 with the victory.

The Silver division title match went to St. Ignatius (12-1), which beat Mother McAuley's JV squad 25-15, 25-13. Margot Mitchell led the Wolfpack with 56 assists on the day. Briana Jones tacked on 16 kills and nine blocks for St. Ignatius.

Queen of Peace captured the Bronze division championship by beating Marian Catholic 23-25, 25-18, 25-22.Mount Assisi didn't shock the volleyball world at this weekend's Nike Preview at Mother McAuley High School, but the Eagles did stamp themselves as a team to definitely keep an eye on.