Girls Volleyball: Cary-Grove ends Huntley’s dream run

Updated: November 3, 2011 9:15PM

With every potential sideout that passed, the Huntley girls’ volleyball team watched its dreams of winnings its first sectional in 10 years slip away.

Cary-Grove senior Melanie Jereb had a lot to do with it, fiercely serving the Trojans to a 25-11, 25-17 victory Thursday night in the IHSA Class 4A Prairie Ridge Sectional.

“We had many chances, but we didn’t do what we needed to do,” said Huntley coach Michelle Jakubowski, who watched Jereb lead an 8-0 run in the first game. “When they run an offense, they’re unstoppable.”

Cary-Grove (34-4) followed up their first run with an 8-1 run to quickly subdue Huntley (31-8) and advance to Saturday’s Lake Zurich Supersectional to face Stevenson.

“We had footage on Huntley and everything we trained for and worked on, they executed in game one,” Trojans’ coach Patty Langanis said. “Real proud of the girls to come out in a big match like this and change things up and do what we had been practicing. It was a fantastic start for sure.”

Jereb finished with six kills, three aces and 10 digs, while outside hitter Ashley Rosch played one of her best games of the year with 13 kills.

“We definitely studied them a lot and their tendencies,” Rosch said. “We knew this was the game to win and we came out with a ton of fire.”

Ashley Smith led the Red Raiders with eight kills, while Sam Boesch had five in a gritty performance after dislocating her shoulder Tuesday during warmups.

“I just wanted to be with my team and do as much as possible,” Boesch said. “Sometimes it doesn’t work in your favor and it’s unfortunate I had to get hurt but... “

The Wake Forest recruit wore a shoulder contraption under her jersey to limit movement but allow her to play.

“We’ve gone through a lot of adversity, but Sam did a great job gutting it out to try to give us something tonight, and she did,” Jakubowski said. “We just didn’t give her the ball enough when she was in the front row. Second time around, she got the ball one time. That can’t happen.”

It was an unfortunate ending for this group of Huntley seniors, especially with Boesch at less than 100 percent, knowing they had already beaten the Trojans once this year.

Senior libero Amy Dion had nine digs, and setter Elizabeth Manning added six digs and 14 assists for the Red Raiders, which resiliently fought back in game two.

Libero Nicole Schuh had eights digs and setter Jess Bartczyszyn 20 assists for Cary-Grove, which has unfinished business after losing in three games to Lyons in last year’s state championship.

“We’ll celebrate this win right now, but tomorrow it’s back to hard work,” Rosch said. “We know what we want and we’re going to work for it.”

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