Larkin holds off determined Streamwood

Updated: October 24, 2011 9:08PM

Fifth seeds can often be counted on to finish off their season quietly with a season-ending loss in a five-team regional tournament, but Streamwood’s volleyball team rejected this fate much like the Sabres’ Hannah McGlone and Kaitlyn Hedger rejected numerous Larkin spikes during Monday’s play-in match in the Elgin Class 4A Regional.

The Sabres miraculously stormed back from a 25-14 deficit to force extra points in Game 2. Ultimately, though, fourth-seeded Larkin and hard-hitting sophomore Brianna Stewart prevailed 25-22, 28-26 to earn a shot at top-seeded DeKalb in Tuesday’s tournament semifinals.

“We did think we had it in hand, but we’re taught to not think we always have it because they could come back,” Stewart said. “We just had to finish it.

“Finishing has been a problem we’ve had. We couldn’t let them get in and we had to just finish and put the ball away.”

Stewart finished with 16 kills on the night, eight in each game.

“We’ve been using Bri as much as possible in front and back row and I think she just got tired toward the end,” Larkin coach Marcin Dybka said. “All the pressure was on her.

“She was in a zone tonight until later toward the end when she got tired. They had a great defense, but it was easy to figure out as far as our offense and who we were going to. But they did a great job up front and in their back row.”

Larkin led the second game 24-15 after back-to-back Stewart kills, but the Sabres then ran off nine straight points, the last eight with Hedger serving to knot the match.

Hedger had an ace and McGlone three kills in the run, which ended when Stewart put down a kill for a 25-24 Larkin lead.

But the Sabres bounced right back with McGlone’s ninth and final kill of the night and a Larkin net hit for a 26-25 lead, serving for the match.

Larkin (12-24) rebounded, though, and scored three straight points after long volleys ended with Sabre mistakes, the final one on a long push shot.

“The girls definitely did a great job in the second game of fighting and coming back from (a nine-point) deficit,” Sabres coach Lisa Vazzana said. “That’s one I haven’t seen, especially in a playoff game. It was incredible with one server, the middle (Hedger) serving eight points in a row.”

The Streamwood run forced Marcin to call timeout with a 24-18 lead, then again at 24-20.

“I think having their coach call timeout, the girls knew he was worried,” Vazzana said. “I told them I wouldn’t call timeout at 18-24 to sideout. I think they sensed he was worried and they capitalized on it and it worked.”

The Royals avenged an earlier three-game loss to Streamwood (6-24).

Olivia Kofie, Piper Johnson and Sarah Woods had two kills each in the second game for Larkin, and Johnson and Stewart had aces.

Larkin needed a late run to put away the first game, as well. Streamwood led 20-16 but the Royals scored five straight. The score was tied at 22 and the match ended with four straight Larkin points, including the last one on a Stewart kill.

Larkin didn’t play in the regular season against top-seeded DeKalb (26-5), but know all about the power hitting of star Emily Bemis. Their match will be at 6:30, after the 5:30 match between Elgin and South Elgin.

“(Bemis) passes well and hits well,” Dybka said. “We’ll try to put up a wall to stop her.”

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