Tinley claims 'Rucinski Cup'

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:24PM

Bremen coach Jessica Rucinski had some advice for her husband, Tinley Park coach Lee Rucinski, after his volleyball team beat her volleyball team 25-19, 25-21 on Tuesday in Tinley Park.

Sweetest Day is coming.

"That's right, remind him that Saturday is Sweetest Day," she said. "He doesn't believe in flowers.

"Yes! Saturday!" she said, pointing her finger at her husband as he came walking up.

"What? Isn't today Sweetest Day?" he innocently said.

If it was, not a good present.

"I tried. I tried," he said, breaking into a smile. "After she destroyed me last year, I had to come back. She had a really good team last year. She won a regional."

She also had an engagement ring, as the two were not yet married. They tied the knot July 31, and now they're knotted up in the "Rucinski Cup" competition, with one win each.

So it went on a day when conference honors weren't on the line, but a lot of pride most definitely was.

"Yeah, it was crazy," Tinley Park junior Danielle Stec said. "It was also Senior Night and we wanted to play well for them. It turned out nice."

Stec was one of the defensive leaders, and contributed four kills as well. Kayla Furjanic added nine kills and Callie Nolan 18 assists for Tinley Park (8-20, 4-7).

Jamie Duckwall had three kills and Leann Powers 13 digs for Bremen (8-16, 4-7) in the South Suburban Blue match.

The "Rucinski Cup" idea was the brainstorm of Bremen athletic director Jim Matlon. Even though it wasn't purchased until this year, Jessica's name is etched as the first winner.

It will be a traveling trophy.

"He gets to hold it until next year," Jessica said. "I'm just hoping he doesn't bring it to the house and I don't have to look at it."

She was kidding. Kind of.

The husband-wife rivalry is even more unique because it involves two schools not only in the same conference but in the same district. They play a lot of common opponents.

"It's more fun because I'll play a team he's got next week and I come home, and the morning of his match we'll do our little scouting reports," Jessica said.

"It's fun all year long until we get to this point (a head-to-head match). That's when it gets a little touchy. But otherwise we have a blast all year bouncing ideas off of each other."

Lee Rucinski said the perks of being fellow coaches goes beyond strategy.

"We're able to share the frustrations and joys," he said. "If you're not a varsity coach you really don't understand what we're going through. It's nice to have someone, when I go home, who knows exactly what I'm going through."

But seriously. After beating her in two, no flowers?

"They die," Lee said with a smile. "I'll buy her something that'll last a lot longer."

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