Prairie Ridge gets back at Hampshire, keeps place atop Fox Valley Conference standings

CRYSTAL LAKE – Prairie Ridge felt like it let a big early-season opportunity go to waste in its first Fox Valley Conference match against Hampshire in September.

In Thursday’s rematch, the Wolves made sure it wouldn’t happen again.

“We knew we had to come out full fire, full force,” senior setter Grace Jansen said. “Our first match [against Hampshire], it was devastating. We were up 24-21 in the second set. We needed one more point [to win], so I think we brought that into this game and we really closed when we needed to.”

[ Photos: Hampshire vs. Prairie Ridge FVC volleyball ]

Prairie Ridge made up for its first loss with a 25-20, 25-19 sweep.

The Wolves (14-5, 10-2 FVC) kept their place atop the FVC standings with the win, and the Whip-Purs (23-4, 9-3) fell one match back. Huntley, which beat Jacobs in two sets Thursday, also has two losses in conference play.

Prairie Ridge has now won eight matches in a row. Hampshire entered with an eight-match winning streak.

“It was a lot of pressure going in. We knew it was a big game,” said Prairie Ridge sophomore Adeline Grider, who had six kills, a block and an ace. “Everybody came here to watch us play in this big game. It was two great teams competing against each other, so this is really big for us.”

The Wolves jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the opening set and never trailed. In the second, they had to climb out of a 7-3 deficit. Prairie Ridge posted seven aces in the match, with four coming during a key run that helped it take the lead for good.

Aces by Grider, Julia Reina and Tegan Vrbancic brought the Wolves to within a point of the Whips three times at 8-7, 10-9 and 12-11. They finally got over the top with back-to-back kills by sophomore outside hitter Maizy Agnello (team-high nine kills) and junior Addison Smith.

That forced Hampshire to take a timeout, but Prairie Ridge got the next two points. Vrbancic added her second ace during a five-point service run for the Wolves.

Hampshire coach Omar Cortez felt his side let the moment get too big.

“The biggest thing is staying engaged at all times,” Cortez said. “The girls of course knew coming in it’s going to be a tough fight. Maybe a little bit of nerves, and the execution wasn’t there all the way. A lot of errors, a lot of mistakes, but they’ve got a great offense on that side.

“They’re relentless. They get a lot of touches, and they got big hitters in the front row as well. They just don’t give up on plays.”

Smith, who finished with three kills, came through with her two biggest points in the opening set, as the right-side hitter put down the final two points. Smith also plays setter, but her versatility as a hitter allows the Wolves to move her around a bit.

“She’s more of a setter, but depending on what the other side is throwing at us, either she’ll hit or she’ll set,” Prairie Ridge first-year coach Hilary Agnello said. “She totally stepped up. She’s a very smart kid. I tell her to hit this spot, she’s going to hit that spot. She’s very good at taking what the game plan is and executing. She really did a great job.”

Smith was thrilled to provide the first-set winner.

“I was just happy those went down,” Smith said. “We’ve improved so much already and we’re just looking to keep our strong connection and momentum going.”

Jansen finished with eight assists and three aces for Prairie Ridge, and senior libero Alli Rogers had nine digs to lead the defense. Vrbancic had two kills along with her two aces. Jada Hoyt and Abby Smith both had two kills.

Hampshire was led offensively by senior setter Jorah Rutter with five kills. Junior outside hitter Elizabeth King (one ace) and junior middle blocker Anna Schiltz each chipped in four kills. Other statistics were not available immediately after the match.

Prairie Ridge gets the weekend off before facing Huntley on Tuesday. The winner will take sole possession of first place in the FVC.

Jansen believes the Wolves will be ready.

“I definitely feel like we’ve gotten more consistent,” Jansen said. “We’ve gotten more comfortable in front of a crowd. We’re starting to ease into our roles a little more and play a little more relaxed.”