THREE THINGS WE KNOW
1. A team to watch in Class 3A come tournament time is Latin. The Independent School League entry returned five of six starters from last year’s 19-7 team and won its first 17 matches this season before losing to Champaign Centennial 25-15, 19-25, 15-11 in Saturday’s final of the Latin tournament. Outside hitter Catie Cronister, a 5-10 sophomore, and 6-foot junior middle Alexa Markman were named to the all-tournament team. Other key players are 6-0 junior Isabel Sessions, 6-1 junior Taylor Kmety, setter Chloe Stiffle and libero Emily Salzman.
2. Benet is going back to where it all began. The Redwings, who have won 11 consecutive regular-season tournaments, will put their winning streak on the line at this weekend’s St. Charles East Mizuno Scholastic Cup tournament at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. The Redwings are the top seed, followed by Plainfield North, Joliet Catholic, Lincoln-Way Central, Naperville North, St. Charles East, Lincoln-Way East and Bloomington. Benet has not lost a tournament since falling to Joliet Catholic in the finals of the Mizuno tournament in 2010.
3. Players of the Week: Montini’s 6-foot junior Bridget Lucas had 21 kills in a 21-25, 25-21, 27-25 victory at Immaculate Conception. Six-foot sophomore Kayla Caffey had 18 kills as Mother McAuley outlasted St. Francis 25-9, 28-30, 30-28 in the semifinals of the Asics Challenge. Sophomore setter Emma Decker had 37 assists as Nazareth defeated Joliet Catholic 25-18, 24-26, 25-20 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Kelli Bates had 14 kills and 16 digs as Bradley-Bourbonnais beat Lincoln-Way Central 16-25, 26-24, 25-23.
