#16 LLCC defeats Sauk Valley 25-21, 25-22, 25-15

#16 LLCC defeats #21 Carl Sandburg 25-22, 25-17, 25-15

LLCC's regular season finished with the last two matches of the Parkland Halloween Bash.  In the first against perennial Region IV power Sauk Valley, the Loggers were able to win a 3-0 sweep behind tough blocking and serving from Olivia Dour and all-around hitting.  In the first set, the Loggers spotted the Skyhawks a 9-5 lead that ran to a five-point gap before  the Loggers started to come back.  In the first ten rotations, LLCC servers had been unable to score any points.  Dour's serves sparked the comeback and the Loggers then tied it at 16 on a Molly Tauke solo block.  The Loggers soon fell behind again on consecutive passing errors before Kiley Brunstein crushed three straight balls to tie the game at 21.  Solid serves led to Logger blocks and a Miller-Dour block won the set 25-22.

The second set saw the two teams exchange sideouts early before the Loggers opened a small gap, led by kills from all five hitting positions as sophomore setter Lainey Jackson distributed the ball around the court.  At 17-13, the Loggers erupted behind a Jakya Pealer ace and two Brunstein-Dour blocks.  Sauk Valley scored to bring it to 24-17 before Molly Tauke hammered an overpass for the 25-17 win.

In the third set, the Loggers took control initially, 3-0 before four consecutive errors reverse the position.  Behind Bobana Marusic's defense and an ace by the libero, the Loggers retook the lead, expanding it to 13-8 behind two more Brunstein kills (she led LLCC with 16).  Later Brunstein put down match point emphatically for the 25-15 win.

"We played well most of the time," Coach Dietz said afterwards.  "When we are mentally engaged and communicating, we're awfully tough.  Our problems come when we focus on a past error rather than worrying about the next ball.  To play good defense, you have to have a goldfish-memory.  We don't always do that."

In the nightcap, the Loggers swept #21 Carl Sandburg, the team LLCC swept in the first round of the 2017 National Tournament.  LLCC started in typical fashion with three unforced errors.  The two teams traded multiple errors until the score reached a 10-10 deadlock with sloppy play on both sides continuing to 19-19.  "We  were just grinding gears out there," Coach Dietz said.  "It's frustrating to know where the ball's going and not have the right movement to get there.  We weren't mentally in it the first two thirds of the first set."  At 19-19, the Loggers finally found a rhythm with freshmen Olivia Dour and Kiley Brunstein in the front row as the two combined for four kills, leading the Loggers to a 25-21 win.

The second set started like the first with the Loggers committing unforced errors, including a freeball landing untouched to give Carl Sandburg a 6-3 lead.  The two teams exchanged errors once again until a tie at 14-14, and again things finally clicked for LLCC with Brunstein and Dour in the front row as the passing of Molly Tauke and Bobana Marusic gave the offense multiple options to run.  LLCC won the set on a kill by Molly Tauke.

In the deciding set, the Loggers took an early lead and expanded it behind multiple blocks by sophomore Maree Taig and an ace by Molly Tauke to 16-7, widening the gap to eleven with a Taig ace at 19-8.  The Loggers built a 24-10 lead before giving up five consecutive points.  Match point was a Sandburg net serve.

"Once we were mentally engaged, things were fine.  Defense led to offense and vice-versa.  It's a good finish to the regular season, but it doesn't mean anything now.  Now, teams are all 0-0.  You lose, you're done.  We have to make sure we have the intensity for success in the post-season."

Record: 26-11

NEXT: WED, 6pm, 1st round of Regional Playoffs at Cass Gym vs. Rend Lake College

MATCH ONE STATS:
vs. Sauk Valley
Digs: Tauke 11, Marusic 8
Aces: Dour 4, Marusic 2
Blocks: Dour 5, Brunstein 3
Assists: Jackson 36
Kills: Brunstein 16, Tauke 12

MATCH TWO STATS:
vs. Sandberg:
Digs: Marusic 12, Tauke 9, Pealer 9
Aces: Marusic 2, 4 tied w/1
Blocks: Taig 5, Miller 2, Tauke 2
Assists: Jackson 39
Kills: Brunstein 18, Tauke 9, Miller 8