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Providence's rally stuns Knights
Updated: March 31, 2011 4:02PM
Providence must have seemed like it was going down for the last time, trailing Lincoln-Way Central 18-14 in Game 3 Wednesday in New Lenox.
Then Casey Contorno threw his teammates a life jacket.
The 6-foot senior had three kills and Tim Sanders had a kill and an ace to spark an 11-5 closing run as the Celtics defeated the visiting Knights 24-26, 25-21, 25-23 in nonconference bys volleyball before a boisterous crowd on "Nautical Night" in New Lenox.
Contorno finished with 13 assists and seven kills, but it was the switch to a 5-1 late in Game 3 that turned the tide in Providence's favor.
"Making the change allowed us to have our three best passers in the game," first-year Providence coach Brett Krapil said. "It's all about defense and passing. The rest took care of itself."
Six-foot-9 junior Marty Ross added 14 kills, Brendan Duffner had nine kills and Karl Schramm finished with 27 assists for Providence (7-2), which closed Game 2 on a 5-1 run to force a tiebreaker.
"Our passing was not the best (in Game 3)," Contorno said. "We kept getting stuck in the same rotation. The coach decided to put our original setter (Schramm) in there and I moved outside. I like hitting better anyway."
Providence also seemed bouyed by a large student section decked out in sailor garb.
"Last week, it was 'Construction Night,'" Contorno said. "The fans enjoy having a theme night."
Lincoln-Way Central (5-3) sunk to defeat for the third time in four matches despite 10 kills and a block by 6-5 outside hitter Sean Blackwood and seven kills by 6-3 middle Alex Severson
"We looked better than we did last weekend," Lincoln-Way Central coach Joann Holverson said. "Essentially, we only have one starter back from last year. Our inexperience showed in that last game.
"You are always disappointed when you lose, but it's a process," she added. "We are moving in the right direction."
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