Sacco now Lowell’s leader

Updated: September 19, 2011 10:10PM

Lowell middle hitter Anna Sacco has become one of the best hitters in the area this season.

And she said she owes a lot of that to her former teammate, Carissa Thiel, who graduated last year.

Sacco, who has committed to play volleyball next season at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, said Thiel helped develop and shape her game early on when Thiel was a sophomore and Sacco a freshman.

Those were apparently three very valuable years because Sacco packs quite a punch at the net. She’s also the loudest player on the Red Devils’ sideline ... and that’s a good thing as team co-captain.

“She’s the pulse of our team,” Lowell coach Kim Kilmer said. “She was strong early on but she’s really matured and become more of a complete volleyball player as time has gone on.

“We move as she moves; she is the jell that holds it all together.”

Sacco started playing volleyball in elementary school but she didn’t play organized ball till seventh grade at Lowell Middle School. She then joined club volleyball prior to her freshman year to improve her skill level.

Sacco made quite an impression her ninth-grade year starting on the Junior Varsity and eventually dressing varsity midway through the season. Even though she didn’t play, Sacco says she remembers her first game vividly.

“I remember the first game I dressed varsity was against Munster,” she said. “I remember being so nervous and I didn’t even play. From that point on, I was dressing varsity.”

That’s when Thiel began to help the young freshman. The two were a dominating 1-2 punch last season helping the Red Devils win the conference title with a perfect 12-0 mark.

“I learned a lot from her,” said Sacco, who finished 325-for-395 hitting with 185 kills last season. “I always looked up to her; she was such a good blocker so I asked her for help when I was struggling.”

Kilmer said the duo was unstoppable in 2010.

“Last year, Carissa Thiel was the strongest player in our offense but Anna was no way playing second fiddle. We stayed strong in that second rotation when Anna was in there; we were never without in our lineup.”

The only thing missing last season was a sectional championship. Lowell defeated Munster twice in Northwest Crossroads Conference play but lost in the sectional semifinals on its home floor.

But with new seasons brings new opportunities.

So far, Lowell has fared well winning 12 of its first 17 matches despite having some injuries to key players. Sacco recently recorded a team-high 20 kills against Griffith on Thursday as the Red Devils improved to 5-1 in NCC play.

The senior middle has already tallied 168 kills, 64 service aces, 29 solo blocks and 37 assist blocks this season.

She isn’t looking for personal glory, though. Her biggest goal is winning the sectional crown. Lowell hasn’t won a sectional since 2005.

“A sectional title would mean so much more,” she said. “I still remember the fifth game against Munster when I was a sophomore. We lost 15-9; we should have had it. Then, junior year, it was taken away from us. It was a horrible feeling. It’s that feeling you get in the bottom of your stomach. So we’re Hoping the third time’s the charm. We’re going to work our hardest to win a sectional title this year.”

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