PALATINE, IL-  The #1 ranked Harper College volleyball team paid tribute to their sophomores on Thursday against MATC.  The Hawks defeated the Stormers in straight sets and had a ceremony before the match for their second year players.

With a starting lineup that featured six sophomores, the Hawks got out to an early lead 6-1 before Ariana Chelini (Crystal Lake/Crystal Lake South) took over for 11 straight serves to make the score 17-2.  The Hawks would win the first set 25-8.  Chelini was 11-11 serving with 4 aces while Emily Huprich (Elgin/Elgin) was 8-8 with an ace of her own.  Everyone got involved on the offensive side as Breanna Cullen (Chana/Oregon) (4 kills), Sarah Udoni (Palatine/Palatine) (3 kills), Carley Chiodo (Arlington Heights/Hersey) (2 kills), Alex Tangney (Palatine/Fremd), and Chelini (1 kill each) all finished with kills.  Emily Huprich (Elgin/Elgin) finished with 11 assists.

The second set saw more of the same as the Hawks started off with a 9-2 lead.  Harper would only give up 2 points the rest of the set and won 25-4.  Leslie Salgado (Buffalo Grove/Buffalo Grove) led the charge with 2 aces and Huprich had another 10 assists.  Ellie Burzlaff (Elgin/Harvest Christian Academy) had 4 kills to lead the team, while Udoni, Chiodo, and Tangney totaled 6 between the trio.

Harper once again started strong with leads of 7-3 and 16-6 on the way to finishing the match with a 25-9 set three win.  Angelina Nichols (Arlington Heights/Christian Liberty Academy) could not be stopped in this set as she went 14 of 14 serving with an incredible 8 aces.  Emily Huprich (Elgin/Elgin) had 8 assists, setting up Gabby Fugle (Island Lake/Wauconda) (3 kills), Lydia Schiller (Hoffman Estates/Classical Consortium Academy) (2 kills), and Mackenzie Bush (Bartlett/Bartlett) (2 kills, block).

The Hawks finished the match with 22 aces and 31 kills.  Head coach Bob Vilsoet was proud of how his sophomores fared but also sad to see them go.  "Tonight was an absolutely magical night.  It is sad for me because this is Harper College's last home match of their Harper careers for our sophomores, many of them who won a national championship last year.  The freshmen did an outstanding job of bidding the sophomores farewell.  Time flies."

The sophomores being honored included Ellie Burzlaff (Elgin/Harvest Christian Academy), Sarah Udoni (Palatine/Palatine), Marielle Lugo (Hoffman Estates/Hoffman Estates), Emily Huprich (Elgin/Elgin), Ariana Chelini (Crystal Lake/Crystal Lake South), Alex Tangney (Palatine/Fremd), Gianna Carusiello (Mount Prospect/Hersey), Leslie Salgaod, Breanna Cullen (Chana/Oregon), and Carley Chiodo (Arlington Heights/Hersey).

Harper ended N4C conference play a perfect 12-0 for the second year in a row.