Joliet Catholic’s Lincoln home in middle

Updated: September 20, 2011 9:24PM

Just over a year ago, Gianna Lincoln was pretty devastated.

After playing lower-level volleyball at Joliet Catholic her freshman and sophomore seasons, Lincoln had tried out for the Angels varsity as an outside hitter. She was cut.

“Last year she tried out as an outside,” Joliet Catholic coach Christine Scheibe said. “I didn’t foresee a future for her as an outside and I told her why.”

“When I didn’t make it I was really upset,” Lincoln said. “Volleyball is my sport and I knew I couldn’t just stop. So I asked coach Scheibe what I could do to get better.”

The answer was move to the middle. So Lincoln, whose brother, Ryan, Lincoln was a linebacker on the Joliet Catholic state title football teams in 2000 and ’01, worked with her club team, Sports Performance, on playing middle. She even practiced with the boys team there. That paid dividends as Lincoln is back this season with the Angels.

“She’s made that transition and is one of our starting middles (along with Hailey Pennington),” Scheibe said. “She’s doing a good job now.”

Through the Angels’ first 11 matches, Lincoln has 32 kills, 67 blocks and 10 block kills in helping them to an unblemished record.

“I had played middle my freshman and sophomore seasons, but was an outside in club,” the 5-foot-11 Lincoln said. “But I’m playing all middle this season. The middle is a lot faster and a lot of work because you are always moving out there and more responsible for the blocks.”

Having missed out on being a member of the state runner-up team in 2010, Lincoln wants to help the Angels get it done with another title this season.

“I definitely want too,” she said. “We just have to keep working very hard, practice and get it done.”

A New Lenox first

Providence and Lincoln-Way West are separated by just over two miles. However, the two New Lenox schools hadn’t met on the volleyball court until Saturday in pool play at the Oak Lawn Volleyball Classic.

The bragging rights go to Providence, as the Celtics came away with a 25-17, 11-25, 15-10 victory. Providence (13-2) then went on to capture the tournament title with a 25-21, 25-19 victory over Lincoln-Way North.

“It was great to go into the Oak Lawn Tournament for the first time and come out victorious,” Providence coach Rachel Ellingson said. “It’s always a goal to come out 5-0 in a tournament.

The only time the Celtics had to go to three games in the tournament was against West. The Warriors impressed Ellingson.

“Lincoln-Way West has an exceptional program,” she said. “They are very well-coached and have some great athletes. They will have a very successful year.”

West (13-3) finished sixth, losing the Silver Division title match to Richards 25-13, 21-25, 25-20.

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