Girls volleyball: Underdog Oswego has nothing to lose

Updated: October 31, 2011 7:54PM

The underdogs in the West Aurora Class 4A Sectional last week had teeth, especially those who were playing on their home court.

The 7, 9 and 13 seeds in the 19-team field were among the four teams claiming regional titles last Thursday. Seventh-seeded Lockport, refusing to let veteran coach Julia Hudson go out without an extended run, upended No. 2 Naperville North to advance to tonight’s 7 p.m. semifinal.

The 26-11 Porters will square off with ninth seed, 22-15 Plainfield Central, which upset No. 6 Metea Valley and No. 3 Neuqua Valley to advance.

Hudson, in her 33rd year at Lockport and 32nd as the team’s head coach, has a state title (1993), a runner-up finish, two thirds and one fourth, but hasn’t been to the sectional since 2006. Central is making its first trip to sectional since 2001.

Top-seed Benet Academy, ranked among Chicagoland and the state’s best all season, was the lone favorite to advance through regional play with its win over West Aurora. The Redwings play at 6 p.m. against No. 13 Oswego, which knocked off No. 5 Waubonsie Valley in three sets.

Tonight’s winners advance to Thursday’s 7 p.m. title match with that winner advancing to Saturday’s Normal Community Supersectional.

“We’ve gotta be ready,” said Benet coach Brad Baker, whose roster features five seniors who will play at the next level.

“Every home team won their regional, but to get to sectional, you have to earn it. Nobody gives it to you, you’ve got to play good volleyball.”

Benet (35-3) has a tall team that is led by 6-foot-3 senior middle blocker Meghan Haggerty (193 kills in the regular season) and 6-foot right side Jenna Jendryk (219 kills), who are headed to Wisconsin and Virginia Tech, respectively.

Jendryk was the MVP of the 24-team Wheaton Classic, one of four tournaments the Redwings have won this season.

They are two of the four hitters Baker has who have posted 100 kills or more. The others are Nora Young (Duquesne) and sophomore Maddie Haggerty. The Panthers must also contend with Shannon O’Brien (Cornell), 6-3 Gabby Pethokoukis (Villanova) and setter Hannah Kaminsky.

Oswego, at 19-17, has nothing to lose.

“Anybody know anything about Benet?” Panthers coach Erica Lorenz asked reporters on Thursday following her team’s win. “We’ll just go out there and play our game.”

It has improved as the season has gone on, sparked by the midseason return of outside hitter and Division I Manhattan College recruit Sydney Volovski from a broken wrist.

“Sydney is one of our staple players,” Lorenz said of the 5-11 outside hitter. “When she wasn’t out there, everyone was concerned, but it forced other players to step up.

“She’s worked her way back in. She’s a very good defensive player, she knows how to read the hitters, being a good, offensive hitter herself.”

The Panthers, while not as tall as Benet, do answer with 6-0 Katherine Daley, 6-1 Brittany Maertzig and 6-0 Shelby Ritsema.

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