Kamp's return boosts Chicago Christian

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:24PM

A few days earlier she was competing for a gold medal at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore.

Think playing a nonconference match Monday at Oak Lawn High School was a bit of a letdown for Chicago Christian senior Madison Kamp?

Not when it mattered the most during the No. 4 Knights' 27-25, 25-15 victory.

Chicago Christian had several chances to take the lead in Game 1, only to make a mistake or have Oak Lawn put down a kill to edge back in front.

It was tied at 21-all when the 6-foot-2 setter went up and sliced a left-handed spike through the heart of the Oak Lawn defense. The Knights would never trail again.

Welcome back, Maddie.

"It's definitely good to be home," Kamp said. "I've still got to get used to setting all of our different hitters, but I will.

"This team has a lot of potential. We're missing a few key players from last year, but each of these players have definitely gotten better. We want to get back to state."

Madison Kamp had 17 assists, Stacey Kamp eight kills, Becky DeRuiter four kills, Celaine Haan nine digs and Emily Lindemulder four blocks for the Knights (2-1). Keely Murtaugh (14 digs, 10 kills), Jackie Conrad (16 assists) and Kelly Foley (4 kills) led the way for Oak Lawn (1-1).

Madison Kamp returned Friday from her trip to Singapore, which included four matches with Team USA, which finished second to Belgium. She saw limited floor time.

"It was still great, the greatest experience of my life so far," Kamp said. "We trained a lot, and I definitely did my part on the team with training and on the sidelines.

"And I didn't get just Singapore's culture. I got every other country in the world, a little bit of their culture talking to the athletes."

Kamp had one two-hour practice with the Knights, who were 1-1 in her absence. In a two-game loss Friday to Illiana Christian they also were without starting outside Maggie Kamp (sore ankle). She's expected back in the lineup later this week.

"It took a little getting used to, but I liked what I saw in that second game (against Oak Lawn)," Knights coach James Garcia said. "They started pulling it together defensively, started playing more effectively."

The Knights' main problem was stopping Murtaugh, a 5-7 senior who not only plays solid defense but was the hardest hitter on the floor.

"Oh, yeah. She had some great hits," Haan said. "We kind of moved our defense around to pick up some of her good swings. She really wound up and cranked them at us, but our back row played a lot better in the second game."

The tide really turned in Game 2 after a service error by Oak Lawn put Chicago Christian in front 12-11. Lindemulder had three blocks during the ensuing 10-1 run.

"If we don't miss five serves and have a couple of net calls at the end of the first game, we take that game and come back totally different for the second game," Oak Lawn coach Dennis McNamara said.

"This is a championship-caliber team, and you can't miss serves and have net violations. Teams like that will capitalize, and they were good tonight."

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