Minooka gets timing down in conference win

Updated: September 6, 2011 8:52PM

Minooka’s Stacey Perinar is a hitter.

A good one. So good, she’s earned a scholarship to Eastern Michigan University.

However, during the Indians’ first game Tuesday night against Plainfield East, the four-year varsity player had just three attacks.

“We took a timeout late (in Game 1) after we realized Stacey Perinar had three attacks,” Minooka coach Chris Hoelscher said. “She was in the back row at the time. When we’re struggling, she needs to touch the ball.”

That changed in Game 2.

Perinar had seven kills in Game 2, eight on the night, during a 25-22, 25-13 Southwest Prairie Conference victory.

The victory put the visiting Indians at 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the SPC.

Plainfield East led 20-17 in Game 1.

“The girls just can’t close games,” first-year Plainfield East coach Kathleen Mixan said. “It’s a mystery to me.”

Plainfield East led 20-17 and had the serve when Minooka called its second timeout of the match. Three straight Minooka points forced the hosts to call time.

It didn’t matter.

Skyler Day’s kill, from Bri Marquez, gave Minooka 21-20 lead.

Haley Bowden served six straight points to give the visitors a 23-20 lead.

Kasey Schumacher’s tip kill cut it to 23-22. However, Day and Marquez hooked up again and a hitting error on the hosts ended the match.

Perinar opened the second game with a kill and the Bengals defense, which was so good in Game 1, struggled in Game 2.

“We saw them Saturday, so they knew what to expect,” Hoelscher said. “I think they feel like because they beat them before, they should feel confident. But we’re the defending conference champs and teams get up to play us. The girls just have to keep the faith. That’s what we keep telling them.”

“In Game 2 we played no defense whatsoever,” Mixan said. “That was the difference. And, we missed some serves. I think we missed five in the second game and four in the first game. When you lose by three, that’s the difference.”

Marquez finished with 16 assists.

Justine Bunn had three block kills and Gabby Bejma came up with nine digs for Plainfield East.

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.