Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

OGLESBY, Ill. – The Harper College volleyball continued their best start in Bob Vilsoet's tenure with a championship at the Illinois Valley Invitational.  The Hawks won all three of their matches, including the title match against the hosts, to extend their winning streak to 14. 
 
Harper (16-1, 3-0 N4C) will try to tie the longest winning streak in the last ten years with a win against visiting College of DuPage on Tuesday at 6:00 PM.
 
Harper took down Illinois Valley in the championship match, winning 3-1 (21-25, 25-11, 25-19, 25-11).  The Hawks stumbled in the first set against a fired up Eagles squad but regrouped in the final three sets.  Facing an early deficit of 8-6, Harper came back with Clara Moravec (Lake in the Hills, Ill., Jacobs) and Rebekah Hischke (Algonquin, Ill., Dundee Crown) each tallying three kills.  Tied 21-21, they won four of the last five points to take the set and even the match at 1-1.
 
Stephanie Igielski (Streamwood, Ill., St. Edwards) stepped up in the third set with six of her ten kills and helped the Hawks erase deficits of 10-6 and 14-12.  Harper eventually held a 19-15 advantage and then 23-18, behind some strong serving from Moravec, before closing out the set.  Moravec, who finished with ten kills, had four in the final set with four blocks.  Kelly Spychala (Des Plaines, Ill., Elk Grove) tallied four of her 17 digs in the fourth set for Harper, who took an 11-7 lead before pulling away to a lead of 24-9 and closing out the set 25-11.  Kelly Sommers (Arlington Heights, Ill., Buffalo Grove) played her usual solid game with 38 assists and 14 digs while Sam Wallenberg (Elk Grove, Ill., St. Viator) notched 20 digs.
 
“Coaches like matches like these,” Vilsoet said.  “This was the second time these teams met each other this year.  We won in four sets the first time we played, and alas, won in four sets again this time.  Both teams are absolutely improving this year at what appears to be about the same rate of improvement.  Also, this match felt like a regional playoff match, in a court configured the same as how it is configured at nationals; in front of an opposing and loud home crowd.”
 
Sarah House (Crystal Lake, Ill., Crystal Lake South) and Veronica Dabrowski (Des Plaines, Ill., Rolling Meadows) each had nine kills in the first match of the day, a 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-14) victory over Waubonsee Community College.  Sommers had a double-double with 29 assists and 18 digs while Megan Kollmeyer (Tustin, Mich., Pine River) also had 18 digs.
 
“Waubonsee was a good team to play first in this invitational tournament,” Vilsoet said.  “Waubonsee proved to be strong today, especially on defense.  We were hitting well from all positions, but much of our offense was brought back up by the Waubonsee defenders, which in turn, exercised our defense.  This was a fun match to start the day.”
 
Harper swept Black Hawk East (25-14, 25-18, 25-21) in their second match of the tournament.  Igielski and Erinn Hellweg (Wauconda, Ill., Wauconda) put down nine kills apiece and four players reached double figures in digs, led by 15 from Wallenberg.  Sommers also had yet another double-double with 35 assists and 11 digs.  The Hawks also had nine aces, with two each from Sommers, Moravec and Spychala.
 
“This was a very spirited match,” Vilsoet said.  “Harper players were playing a symphony – everybody was playing their part, transitioning quickly, and fighting hard for every point.  This match was way closer than the scores indicated.  Black Hawk East is a very good team this year and played well in this match.”