Girls volleyball: Huntley extends FVC streak to 23 straight
Hampshire didn't have an answer for Huntley senior outside hitter Morgan Jones in the first set Tuesday.
So in a much closer second set between Fox Valley Conference rivals, it was very fitting that Jones, an NCAA Division I Missouri commit, also had two of the match's biggest points.
Tied at 23-all, Jones put away her match-leading 10th kill and then added a match-clinching block for the Raiders in a 25-4, 25-23 win over the Whip-Purs.
Huntley (6-0, 5-0 FVC), last year's undefeated FVC champion, has yet to drop a set this year.
The Raiders also extended their FVC-winning streak to 23 consecutive matches. Huntley last lost in conference play to Crystal Lake South on Oct. 21, 2021. Hampshire's last win over the Raiders came during the COVID-19-shortened season in the spring of 2021.
Huntley coach Karen Naymola knows getting the ball to Jones, who added six blocks, usually leads to good things.
On Tuesday, the 6-foot-1 Jones rarely missed.
"I've always said the one thing about Morgan is she's the quiet leader," Naymola said. "She's not going to get super excited when she just put the ball down in front of the 10-foot line. She's always equally calm and I think she just does a nice job of keeping our entire side calm.
"She's always been a go-to hitter. We're just trying to find ways to get her the ball a little more because every time she swings, it's a kill."
Jones had six of her 10 kills in the first set for the Raiders, who at one point scored 18 points in a row during a 19-point service run from senior outside hitter Lizzy Williams. Williams tallied five aces during the run and ended with a match-high seven aces. She also added three kills and seven digs.
"It felt pretty good," Williams said. "I was just trying to work back there for my teammates. Obviously, I know if put the work in back there, it loosens everybody up."
Huntley has faced some early deficits this year, so Naymola and the Raiders focused on getting out to a fast start Tuesday.
"Our first three matches we were behind and had to play catch-up, and that's not typically Huntley volleyball," Naymola said. "The last couple of games we've done a good job of jumping out. Lizzy is one of our stronger servers to begin with and she was doing a phenomenal job of hitting her zones.
"And that ball moves a lot. She has such a nice float serve. It's a hard ball to pass."
Huntley senior setter Laura Boberg had 16 assists, junior libero Alex Goritz had nine digs, and junior Georgia Watson had two kills and two aces. Sienna Robertson added two kills and Mari Rodriguez had six digs.
Huntley expected Hampshire (6-3, 2-3) to come out faster and stronger in the second set. The Whips were one of the teams that threatened to end the Raiders' FVC winning streak last year.
"They came out stronger and focused," Jones said. "We just had to be aggressive, had to play smart and put the ball away. I'd say we were playing as a team and not individually."
Hampshire was led by sophomore outside hitter Elizabeth King, who had five kills and one ace. Sophomore Katelyn Petterson had three kills, sophomore Samantha Freeman had three aces and junior Jorah Rutter added two aces.
Coach Rejhan Vunic was happy to see his team not give up after a tough opening set.
Vunic has been encouraged by his team's early-season play, which included winning the Hoffman Estates Invitational over the weekend with a 4-0 record.
"I definitely think we're making strides," Vunic said. "We're going to have our ups and downs as a young team, but give it time and at the end of the season, they're going to start improving and being a lot more consistent. I like what I'm seeing so far."