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ROCKFORD, Ill. – The #5 Harper College volleyball team won four of their seven matches, including their last three, in the Kishwaukee Invitational at Rock Valley College.  The three-day tourney featured some of the best teams in NJCAA Div. I, II and III.
 
Harper (34-14, 10-2 N4C) began the tournament on Thursday with a loss to #7 Owens College (Div. II) in three sets (17-25, 16-25, 18-25).  Erinn Hellweg (Wauconda, Ill., Wauconda) led the way with six kills and Rebekah Hischke (Algonquin, Ill., Dundee Crown) had three of the team's four aces.  Kelly Sommers (Arlington Heights, Ill., Buffalo Grove) had team-highs of 18 assists and 9 digs.
 
“We were looking forward to this match knowing it would be tough competition,” said head coach Bob Vilsoet.  “But this was too much competition, as Owens played very well, and we just didn't play well in this match.  Last year, we lost in five sets and this year, we went down easily in three relatively similarly played sets.  Hopefully we learned something, or at least can eliminate using this lineup in the future.”
 
The Hawks rebounded in their second match on Thursday, sweeping Black Hawk College (25-16, 25-17, 25-23).  Clara Moravec (Lake in the Hills, Ill., Jacobs) paced the team's attack with six kills while also contributing three of the team's ten aces and two of the team's seven blocks.  Veronica Dabrowski (Des Plaines, Ill., Rolling Meadows) and Sommers had 14 and 12 digs, respectively.  Sommers finished with 15 assists.
 
“Last time we played Black Hawk, we lost the first two sets, but came back and won the last three sets in convincing fashion,” Vilsoet said.  “This time, we took the fight to Black Hawk during the whole match.  In game three, except for the libero, we looked up and noticed that there were 6 first-year players on the court.  This bodes well for next year's team.  Black Hawk is a quality opponent.”
 
After capturing the first set, Harper was unable to sustain that momentum in a loss to Indian Hills Community College on Friday.  Hellweg put down nine kills while Hischke added eight.  Stephanie Igielski (Streamwood, Ill., St. Edwards) and Hellweg accounted for all eight of the team's aces while Hellweg and Dabrowski combined for seven of the team's nine blocks.  Kelly Spychala (Des Plaines, Ill., Elk Grove) and Sommers had 13 digs apiece with Hellweg chipping in 11.  Sommers completed the double-double with 29 assists.
 
“This match followed a familiar pattern,” Vilsoet said.  “We won the first set, but dropped the next three. Teams are able to adjust to us, and we aren't able to adjust as well in return.  I think with slightly better serve receive passing, this match could have gone the other way.  We have to be able to pass late in crucial matches against good teams to win, which is the whole point of getting into this tournament in the first place.”
 
In their next match, the Hawks hung with the top team in Division III, Ridgewater College.  Harper was swept but all three sets were close (20-25, 23-25, 23-25).  Hellweg's nine kills were tops on the team while Sam Wallenberg (Elk Grove, Ill., St. Viator) was solid on the service line with two of the team's five aces.  Moravec and Madison Rodriguez (Palatine, Ill., Palatine) had 2.5 and two blocks, respectively, and Sommers handed out 23 assists.  Wallenberg also led the team in digs with 14 while Hischke had 13 and Hellweg had ten.
 
“We were definitely looking forward to playing this match,” Vilsoet said.  “Although we lost in a close three set match, the scores were close enough that if we executed just a little better in a couple of areas, perhaps we could have won.  This was a disappointing loss, and after losing this match, we will have to win our region to earn the right for a rematch this year.  We will see how that turns out.”
 
Harper was able to earn a victory in their third and final match on Friday with a sweep of Carl Sandburg College (25-19, 25-19, 25-13).  Igielski led the way with 11 kills with Hellweg adding ten.  Hischke had an eye-popping seven aces and the team's lone block.  Sarah House (Crystal Lake, Ill., Crystal Lake South) had 17 digs while Sommers tallied 41 assists.
 
“We bounced back very well from the two earlier losses today, and played one of our best matches of the tournament, if not the year,” Vilsoet said.  “This was a very encouraging match.  In short, we passed serves very well, were able to distribute the ball to the middles and right side, and kept the pressure on Carl Sandburg the entire match. ”
 
The Hawks continued their winning ways into the tournament's final day, Saturday.  The team topped McHenry County College 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 26-24).  Dabrowski had a team-high ten kills to lead Harper's attack.  Hischke had a solid all-around game with seven kills, two aces and three blocks.  Sommers and Dabrowski each notched double-doubles with Sommers finishing with 26 assists and 13 digs and Dabrowski adding ten digs.
 
“I like to look for improvement from the teams I coach,” Vilsoet said.  “Earlier in the year, we barely defeated McHenry in a close five set match.  Today's match was very different – we won in three straight sets.  It appeared we passed better, hit better, served tougher, and in general was in-sync all the way around.  In the third set, we made an amazing comeback down 17-22 and won.  ”
 
Harper closed out the tournament with their third straight sweep, defeating Marshalltown Community College (25-23, 25-10, 25-17).  Hellweg led the way with 16 kills while Dabrowski and Igielski added ten and nine kills, respectively.  Hellweg also had three aces.  Sommers had another double-double with 34 assists and ten digs while also picking up two blocks.  House had a team-high 14 digs with Megan Kollmeyer (Tustin, Mich., Pine River)finishing with 12.
 
“We played very well in this match,” Vilsoet said.  “This was the last match of the year before the regional playoffs begin. In today's match, the team truly played a symphony. Everyone played their part, and as a team we won a very competitive match.”