Girls Volleyball: Georgetown commit Kamryn Lee-Caracci takes the lead, powers Lyons past Willowbrook

VILLA PARK – Kamryn Lee-Caracci blocked a Willowbrook girl at the net and then wagged two fingers in a clear alpha move.

Lee-Caracci is an alpha for Lyons Township.

The 6-foot senior, a Georgetown recruit, was a key figure last season in the Lions’ 32-win season and an honorable mention All-State pick. With standouts Tia Kostic and Adriana Vassek graduated, Lee-Caracci is clearly the center of attention at Lyons. And she wants to be the girl the Lions lean on.

[ Photos: Lyons vs. Willowbrook volleyball ]

“They were two heavy losses, but even though we have a lot of returners, we have a lot of girls stepping up who were sophomores before,” Lee-Caracci said. “The only thing they really need is someone to lead them, someone who they can rely on, which is the position I want to be. I don’t want to be just a throwaway player. I want to be that someone who people can rely on to lead.”

Lee-Caracci led the way at the most critical time Aug. 31.

After Willowbrook came alive in a big way to take the second set, Lee-Caracci took charge in the third. She had three kills and the big block for the Lions’ first four points, and Lyons went on to a 25-20, 12-25, 25-21 win in a match between last year’s champions of the respective divisions of the West Suburban Conference.

“That is what senior leadership is,” Lyons coach Jill Bober said. “It’s not just about getting those points and kills, but it’s also leading the people around you, it’s wrangling those people up and getting that energy going.”

After a less-than-satisfactory second set by her standards, Lee-Caracci was a towering presence in the third – both at the net and at the service line. She had seven kills, three aces and a block in the set, accounting for nearly half of Lyons’ points. Lee-Caracci’s huge kill was followed by back-to-back aces to get Lyons to 24-19 in the third.

“I think I learned a lot in that second set,” Lee-Caracci said. “I was having a really bad passing game and it got in my head. I learned that I can do better. If I can’t pass perfect I can hit better and perform for my team.”

Lee-Caracci was fired up for this match.

Lyons (5-0) and Willowbrook (3-1) were the cream of the crop in the West Suburban Conference last season, but did not play each other. Lee-Caracci followed Willowbrook’s historic path to its first sectional title and went to the Warriors’ supersectional match at Mother McAuley. She was club teammates with Willowbrook star Calli Kenny for three years. There is respect and friendship. The girls posed for pictures together after the match.

“I was so excited,” Lee-Caracci said. “I know Calli Kenny and I know her sister Hannah is a strong player. I love playing against people I know because it makes me want to perform better.”

Lyons’ 6-foot-3 middle Katie Debs, who had the kill for match point, also had a kill off a quick set to start a 7-1 run that gave Lyons the lead for good in the third set at 15-9. Earlier, Debs had three kills and two blocks to key the Lions in a nip-and-tuck first set. Lyons pulled away with a 6-1 run after an 18-18 tie.

Willowbrook bounced right back in the second set. Calli Kenny’s kill started a 10-0 run that she finished with back-to-back-to-back aces for a 15-7 Warriors’ lead. Elle Bruschuk had two kills in that stretch, when the Warriors more closely resembled the team that won its first 30 matches last season.

“First set as a whole we came out a little timid and I feel like as a team we played a little scared – they have a 6-foot-4 middle, a Georgetown commit,” Kenny said. “For some of us, that scared us a little. As the game wore on, we got comfortable in our skills and that’s what changed set two and set three.”

Calli Kenny finished with 10 kills, 13 assists, 17 digs and three aces, Hannah Kenny had 10 kills, 13 assists and 14 digs and Bruschuk had three kills, three blocks and two digs. Natalie Cipriano added three kills and six digs.

“It did look like we were not as confident as what I’m used to,” Willowbrook coach Irene Mason said. “Once we settled in, we played our game, the level we should be at. It showed us what we need to work on.”

Kenny, like Lee-Caracci, was excited to play against girls she knows well from club but only from afar in a high school setting. She last played Lyons as a freshman.

“I know a lot of the girls on the LT team, our high school coaches, club coaches, everyone we know,” Kenny said. “I think this gives us fuel for the rest of the season. We know we can compete with the best teams in the state. Even though we lost this gives us confidence.”