Lyons' Gouty settles into new role

Updated: April 5, 2011 2:16PM

Through five matches to open the season, Jack Gouty doesn't look like a defensive specialist anymore.

Lyons' new setter has made the switch to a new position this season and Gouty guided a balanced offensive attack to a 25-19, 23-25, 25-21 nonconference victory at Morton Friday.

Four different Lyons hitters had at least six kills, led by 6-foot-5 junior Mark Hogan's 11 kills. Gouty finished with 32 assists and even had two blocks.

Morton (1-1) took a 17-15 lead in the third set, but couldn't keep the lead. Lyons (4-1), which played for the first time since taking third place in the Conant Invitational March 25, broke a 20-20 tie with Hogan's kill and Gouty's final block against Morton junior Paul Novosyolov (12 kills).

The Mustangs cut the lead to one point on David McClain's kill before Lyons ended the match with three consecutive points. The match ended on Dominic Dina's kill, which found the open the floor in the middle of Morton's court.

"We play with a well-rounded offense," Gouty said. "We have a lot of height and that helps us. Once we pass (better), we'll be hard to beat."

Senior Jack O'Malley had eight kills for Lyons while Jason Dolinski and Adam Hass had six each.

Everardo Valencia had eight of his nine kills after the first set to spark Morton to its second consecutive three-set match after beating Riverside-Brookfield March 24. Novosyolov had five kills in the first set while Marcos Luna finished with 30 assists.

"We don't give up," Novosyolov said. "We have to work on starting out better. We start out slow."

Lyons led 12-7 and 12-8 in each of the first two sets before Morton rallied each time. In the second set, the Mustangs took a 24-21 lead off Novosyolov's kill from the back row.

Gouty, a 6-foot senior, replaced veteran setter Matt Corte, who graduated. With Dolinski at 6-6, Dina and O'Malley at 6-4 each and Hass at 6-3, Lyons hopes to gain a height advantage against opponents. Lyons led Morton 6-2 in blocks.

"I think we have the ability to control the net," Lyons coach Joann Pyritz said. "With our size, 6-4 guys and 6-6 guys. However, we need to continue to work on our passing and defense."

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