FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008 All-Area girls volleyball DAILY HERALD SECTION 4 PAGE 3 C1D7F12M12 Amanda Carroll Huntley Carly Sahagian Bartlett Huntley’s junior setter was the stabilizing force that helped All-Area roster Bartlett’s top weapon is one of the most feared hitters in a lineup consisting of three freshmen, a sophomore and one the Upstate Eight Conference and a sought-after college senior to jell into a Class 4A sectional finalist. She guided a Player School Pos. Yr. prospect. A two-time all-area selection, Sahagian can revamped lineup to Huntley’s first regional title since 2002 flat-out hit. She led the Hawks to 21 wins with 371 kills as Amanda Carroll Huntley S Jr. with 642 assists going into Thursday’s match. “She has just an outside hitter. “She’s something else, definitely impres- done an amazing job this year of growing as a setter, as a Jordan Guida Crystal Lake South S Sr. sive,” Bartlett coach Brandon Mueller said. “She’s a really leader and as a person all around,” Huntley coach Michelle hard worker in practice and it pays off. She’s definitely a Jakubowski said. “She’s done a nice job running this team Kristen Haggenjos St. Edward OH Sr. leader on the court. All the girls look up to her. She’s just a with the younger players we had out there. She keeps Emily Hayes Bartlett OH Sr. great all-around player who can do everything.” Sahagian everybody focused, pushes everybody and pushes herself.” A focused server, also recorded 146 digs, 42 blocks and 86 aces. Carroll entered the week with a team-best 51 aces and a serve percentage of Abbey Heredia Cary-Grove S Jr. Allyson Stellmach Huntley 83.7. She also made 114 digs, 19 solo blocks and has a .391 kill efficiency. Stephanie Holthus Burlington Central OH Jr. Jordan Guida Crystal Lake South The only senior in a starting lineup consisting predomi- Betsy Homan Streamwood MH Sr. nantly of underclassmen, the third-year varsity performer When situations get tense on the volleyball court, Erin Johnson Crystal Lake South MH Sr. led the way with her experience and authoritative presence the Gators’ even-keeled senior setter is like the calm at the net. The middle hitter was a key reason Huntley won eye of a hurricane, always on her game regardless Kelly Lamberti Cary-Grove OH So. its first regional title since 2002, and she entered Tuesday’s of the situation. “She doesn’t let the game get in her Kendall Martin Elgin OH So. sectional semifinal victory over Guilford with 132 kills, 37 head,” CL South coach Jorie Fontana said. “She’s solo blocks, 138 digs and a serving percentage of 94.1. “To so consistent. She knows what she’s going to do Lauren Pigatto Jacobs OH Sr. see her grow the last three years, to see where she is now each day and that’s what you get from her, which is from where she came from has been enjoyable to watch,” awesome because you don’t need your setter to be a Carly Sahagian Bartlett OH Jr. Huntley coach Michelle Jaubowski said. “I’m real excited for her to get that head case. She’s very strong mentally and gives you Allyson Stellmach Huntley MH Sr. regional championship in her last year.” the same thing every game, which is wonderful to get out of your setter.” Guida entered Thursday’s sectional final with 638 assists, 35 Allison Straumann Cary-Grove OH Sr. Allison Straumann Cary-Grove aces and 181 digs and 18 block kills. Stephanie Thorson Dundee-Crown OH Sr. After committing to Iowa over the summer, this athletic Kristen Haggenjos St. Edward outside hitter continued to improve in her season, finishing Katie Trayser Crystal Lake South OH Sr. with 215 kills, 217 digs and a serve-receive ratio of 2.21 A four-year varsity starter, Haggenjos became one of the *Molly Turk Burlington Central S Sr. (on a 3.0 scale). “Alli has been such a pleasant surprise top hitters and defenders in the area this year leading St. after starting volleyball so late in her career,” Cary-Grove Edward to a second-place finish in the Suburban Catholic Amy Wehrs Hampshire OH Jr. coach Patty Langanis said. “She was a student of the game Conference and into Thursday’s Class 2A sectional champi- Kara Wehrs Hampshire S Jr. from the beginning and has developed into such a well- onship. “I’ve had her for four years and she’s a great athlete rounded, positive player and a great teammate. She did so and a great kid. I’ve seen her grow from a 14-year old Katie Yohn St. Edward OH Sr. much of that on her own, which I though was amazing.” freshman and she’s an awesome person and an awesome volleyball player,” said Green Wave coach Jaime Walton. * — Honorary captain Stephanie Thorson Dundee-Crown Going into sectional play this week, the Loyola-bound Honorable mention Dundee-Crown’s best player was also it’s most flexible. This Haggenjos had team highs in kills (283), aces (34) and digs (178) as well two-time all-are pick started the season at outside hitter, as 36 solo blocks. She is a two-time team captain, two-time all-Suburban Cary-Grove — Kayla Klinger (Jr., OH), Tori Sandstrom (Sr., MH), a new position as a senior, moved back to the right side at Catholic Conference player and a two-time all-area selection. “It’s been a Hayley Shaw (Sr., DS) midseason and eventually played in the middle. No matter pleasure to coach her for four years and we’ll miss her,” Walton said. where she was positioned on the court, Thorson shined. Crystal Lake South — Caitlin Schumacher (Jr., OH) Emily Hayes Bartlett The third-year varsity starter finished the season with team Burlington Central — Taylor Scully (Jr., OH), Megan Zasada (Sr., RS) highs in kills (230) and aces (36) and contributed 327 digs. Committed to Division-I Radford, where she will hit from the “Stephanie was pretty versatile, which is what I liked about right side, this two-time all-area selection excelled in her Elgin — Ellen Holton (Sr., MH), Lindsey Morrow (Sr., L) her,” Dundee-Crown coach Tracy Williams said. “I could senior season as an outside hitter on the left side of the court, Hampshire — Cassie Dumoulin (Jr., MH), Chessa Osiecki (So, L) pretty much put her anywhere and she’d be successful. She led our team in notching 180 kills, 26 aces, 22 blocks and 136 digs for a team virtually every category. She was pretty much our go-to player and had a real that finished 21-12. “I thought she played really well,” Bartlett Huntley — Amy Dion (Fr., L), Ashley Smith (Fr., OH) nice three years for us.” coach Brandon Mueller said. “I asked her to step in and play Jacobs — Amy Cavanaugh (Sr., OH), Erica Liss (Sr., S), left side for us this year and she didn’t have a problem doing Katie Trayser Crystal Lake South that. She was definitely the vocal leader on the court and off Stacie Weinert (Sr., OH) When opposing teams concentrated too much on 6-foot-5 the court for our team. She rallies the girls together and she’s a Larkin — Jessica Harris (Sr., OH), Claire Sherman (Sr., L) teammate Erin Johnson in the middle, this two-time all-area really hard worker, just a wonderful girl to have on the team.” selection made them pay. She entered Thursday’s sectional St. Edward — Tess Barry (Sr., MH), Molly Kelly (Sr., MH) Abbey Heredia Cary-Grove final with 202 kills, 263 digs, 23 aces and 21 block kills. South Elgin — Tara Bradley (Sr., OH), Alyssa Krause (Jr., MH) However, the senior’s intangible strengths were also invaluable This junior setter, a two-time all-area pick, developed into to the Valley Division co-champion Gators: leadership and an a better all-around player in her third varsity season for Streamwood — Leslie Ramos (Sr., L) infectious positive attitude. “She’s the spunk when you need the Fox Valley (Valley) Conference co-champions. Heredia Westminster Christian — Jessica Benson (Jr., MH) the spunk,” Crystal Lake South coach Jorie Fontana said. “She finished the season with 212 digs, 55 kills and 22 aces to knows sometimes she has to be the kill leader and sometimes go with 670 assists, which made her Cary-Grove’s all-time Captain’s Honor Roll she has to be the No. 1 supporter making sure everybody else is picking up their assists leader with still another year to play. “The girl is just game when they’re falling apart. She’s that glue that keeps the team together.” amazing at times with the things she can do athletically,” 1995 — Jaime Johnson (CL South) Molly Turk Burlington Central Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis said. “We’ve had some 1996 — Stacy Barnett (CL South) great setters at Cary-Grove, but there’s something different Because her team lacked height this year, the four-year about Abbey. The plays she can pull off and her ability to think on the court 1997 — Vicki Lublow (Larkin) and Joni Melahn (Larkin) starter and two-time honorary captain of the Daily Herald improved so much from last year.” 1998 — Sarah Ahnen (Jacobs) and Nicole Kwasniewski (Elgin) all-area team added two rotations of hitting duties to her role as the Rockets’ primary setter. The result was 208 Stephanie Holthus Burlington Central 1999 — Marion Hansen (Huntley), Julie Malm (Larkin) spike kills and a .446 hitting efficiency heading into Tues- Committed to Northwestern, this athletic spiker with the and Jorie Miguel (Jacobs) day’s Class 3A sectional semifinal victory over previously near 10-foot approach touch outjumps her opponents and unbeaten LaSalle-Peru.