St. Charles North learns to win close games

St. Charles North's girls volleyball team has struggled here and there this season, but perhaps the turning point of their season arrived when they beat rival St. Charles East in three games last week.

It wasn't so much winning against their rival that was key, but winning in a close-game situation. That's what stood out the most to coach Lindsay Trudell.

"It's important," Trudell said of winning the close ones. "Hopefully the girls will remember that."

Through Wednesday's matches, the North Stars are 13-6 overall, 6-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference.

"We've played some tough competition," said Trudell, who listed Benet and Naperville Central as some of the North Stars' most challenging opponents. "So our record is pretty accurate of how we are."

St. Charles North has won its games with a balanced attack, but Gretchen Gielser has stood out the most as far as action at the net and Caitlin Winkelman in the back row.

Rosary: An overall record of 15-4 is almost where Rosary volleyball coach Lisa Kasper thought her team would be at this point in the season.

The undefeated Suburban Catholic Conference record of 8-0, however, is above and beyond what the Royals expected.

"Maybe 16-3 or 17-2 would sound better, but right now, we are where we want to be in conference," Kasper said.

The toughest loss to swallow was the three-game nonconference contest earlier this month against St. Charles East. The other three losses came from tournaments. Two of those losses came in Waubonsie Valley's tournament over the weekend, when the Royals fell to St. Ignatius and Neuqua Valley.

The Royals finished third in the tournament, which was OK, considering star setter/outside hitter Christine Hartmann was dealing with a sore back.

Kate Clark, who comes off the Royals' bench, was also out, as she was recovering from an ovarian cyst that was discovered a couple weeks ago.

"It was kind of a freaky thing, and so unexpected in a young kid," Kasper said.

Clark is still recovering but should be fine.

Geneva:ŒThe Vikings were 13-4 without four-year varsity player Rachel Urbelis, a middle/outside hitter.

Now, after beating rival Batavia in 2 games Tuesday, they are 14-4 and that much better with her back in action. Urbelis suffered a 2-month bout with mononucleosis.

Urbelis, a two-time all-area selection, wanted to come back for the Western Sun Conference showdown with Sycamore two weeks ago, but was unable to.

"My goal was to come back for the Sycamore game, but I had a bit of a relapse because I started practicing too early," she said.

"We had a couple of short practices because of JV games, so that was good for her," Geneva coach KC Johnsen added. "We didn't want to mess with it. We probably gave her an extra week (to recover), then a half a week, and we got her in the game (against Batavia). She's a senior. She didn't want to miss it."

Urbelis recorded a match-high 8 kills against the Bulldogs and helped the Vikings secure second place in the Western Sun Conference at 6-1. Sycamore is on top with Batavia at 4-3.

The Vikings' biggest surprise this year, according to Johnsen, is how all the younger players have stepped up. Three sophomores were in the starting lineup against Batavia -- Lauren Wicinski, Megan Odenthal and Katie Sommer.

"(I'm pleased with) the way these younger players get challenged and respond to (things)," Johnsen said. "(The Batavia game) was a good example. They blocked us, and then all of the sudden, we were blocking like crazy and we were scoring against their block. It's fun to watch the young kids (adjust). That's what they've been doing all year."

Batavia: The Bulldogs are 8-10 overall (through Wednesday's matches), which is slightly off from where coach Lori Trippi-Payne thought they would be a little over a month into the season.

"I thought we would be a little better at this point," she said. "I really thought we would have our passing under control, but we have some work to do. Passing has been our biggest challenge."