Lisle bounces back to top Coal City

Updated: September 27, 2011 9:14PM

Lisle has not lost a match since September 10. The Lions did not lose a match before September 10, either. The Lions flirted with disaster Tuesday, but their balance and defense were too much for visiting Coal City.

Vanessa Abenante had seven kills, a block and an ace, Beth Plucinski and Becky Fuys each had six kills and Anita Urban added 25 assists as Lisle (15-3 overall) improved to 6-0 in the Interstate Eight Conference North with a 25-17, 25-22 win over visiting Coal City.

Lisle led 15-8, 18-10 and 22-14 in Game 2, but Coal City (9-9.4-2) closed to within 24-22 before Darian Payne’s tip kill ended the match.

“We made it exciting,” said Abenante, a 5-foot-6 senior outside hitter. “Usually we start off slow in the second game because we’re more relaxed, and by the end of the game since the other team catches up we’re pressing to just finish the game.”

Lisle suffered all three of its defeats at the Yorkville tournament when two of its players were taking the ACT and Abenante was sidelined with an injury. Abenante, a four-year starter, said this is the best Lisle team she has been on.

“We all get along, which I think is the big difference.” she said. “In past years we did have a lot of talent, but we didn’t get along. That has a lot to do with it because in volleyball it’s not one person, you’re a team.

“We’ve also been practicing harder than we ever had in the past, and we basically have the same team as last year,” Abenante added. “We’re just more experienced, and in volleyball that’s very important to have experience.”

So far, playing Lisle has not been a good experience for the opposition.

“We had our moments,” Coal City coach Mike Lanoue said. “I thought at the beginning of the second half of that first game we had a chance if we could just sustain and do the things we can do.

“But Lisle comes at you...rightside, leftside, middle,” he added. “They have a lot of different weapons and our blockers weren’t ready for that type of play. We’ve been blocking better the last several weeks. We didn’t show it tonight, but we have been.”

Six-foot senior middle Molly Manietta (three aces) and 6-2 senior opposite Ashley Sisk each had four kills for Coal City.

“I will take beating Coal City any time, I don’t care of its ugly, pretty, I don’t care,” Lisle coach Matt Hrubesky said. “We had a hard time getting things going. We didn’t run very crisply. We didn’t put the ball in great spots.

“I thought our defense was really good,” he added. “They’re a big team. You don’t see many teams that size. We just didn’t handle the ball well. Vanessa saved a lot of crummy balls. She took 9-footers and 8-footers and makes the swings. That’s what she does for us.”

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