Central uses heart to pump comeback

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GRAYSLAKE – The chants started between the first and second sets and echoed through Grayslake Central’s field house.

“CLC, believe!” Crystal Lake Central’s fans encouraged the Tigers after they dropped the first game of the Class 3A Grayslake Central Supersectional girls volleyball match to Nazareth Academy.

But the Tigers never had stopped believing.

Central turned the table on the Roadrunners, 12-point winners in the first set, and played two more inspired games to earn a berth in the IHSA state semifinals next weekend in Normal, completing what the Tigers knew they could do this year.

Central defeated Nazareth, 13-25, 25-15, 25-13, for the program’s second trip to Redbird Arena in three seasons.

“I’m still in awe,” junior setter Tracy Friel said. “I’m so proud of my teammates, so proud of what we’ve done. We knew that we could do this if we put our hearts into this game, and we have all season.”

“We had to get it together [after Game 1] and play as a team,” senior libero Julie Jeziorowski said. “That’s what we did; we played as one. That’s what Central volleyball is all about.”

That mentality allowed Central (37-3) to cruise past Nazareth (29-11) in Games 2 and 3.

Nazareth jumped to a 7-0 advantage in Game 1 and, although Central chipped away at the Roadrunners’ lead, Nazareth went on too many runs and Central never recovered from the early deficit.

Central made up for its mistakes in Game 2. Sophomore middle hitter Amelia Anderson (12 kills) dominated at the net, and Jeziorowski ensured that Central’s back row defense allowed few Nazareth balls to hit the floor.

“We became so afraid to make mistakes in the first game,” Central coach Doug Blundy said. “We weren’t playing aggressive. We came out much stronger in the second game.”

“We were like, ‘Let’s go!’ ” Anderson said. “This is the match that matters.”

Central pulled away in Game 2 for good, 18-14, behind an Anderson kill, and Jeziorowski served six consecutive points to put the Tigers up, 24-14. Senior middle hitter Lindsay Anderson’s kill gave the Tigers the game.

Senior right side hitter Caity DeCoster served nine consecutive points, including an ace, in Game 3 to go up, 13-4, on the Roadrunners. Fittingly, DeCoster’s ace closed the third set and sealed the Tigers’ victory.

“This is incredible,” Lindsay Anderson said. “I knew we could do it. We had the talent, it was just a matter of making sure the work was there. And we’ve worked very hard.”