Hard work, belief pay dividends for Hornets

Ashleigh Fisher practices with her Harvard teammates Tuesday. The Hornets face Chicago Christian on Friday in the IHSA Class 2A state semifinals in Normal. (Nick Dentamaro - ndentamaro@nwherald.com)

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HARVARD – All Marcy Nystrom remembers is jubilance, satisfaction and bewilderment.

The pageantry of it all, the realization that Nystrom and her Harvard volleyball teammates had done what they’d known all season was possible – earn a berth in the Class 2A state semifinals today at Redbird Arena in Normal – was more exciting than Nystrom had imagined it would be.

After a thrilling supersectional win against Illinois Valley Central on Saturday to earn its trip to state, Harvard players and coach Kelly Brierley are confident in what lies ahead, having known the Hornets were capable of great things all season.

“We’ve all worked so hard for this for so long,” Nystrom, a senior libero, said. “It’s everyone’s dream on this team to make the state tournament and to play for a state title. We’re all so excited; we just can’t wait to start playing.”

Harvard will face Chicago Christian at 12:30 p.m. today; the winner will play for a state championship at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

The Hornets (27-12) made an appearance in the Class A state quarterfinals in 2005 but lost to Hartsburg-Emden. Harvard took third in Class A in 2006 but has not been back to the tournament since.

Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Fisher was on the 2006 team and is eager for another crack at a state title.

“It’s kind of like a dream,” Fisher said. “All our hard work has finally paid off, and it’s so rewarding to watch that happen because of all our dedication and devotion to the sport.”

The setting at Redbird – the big, open arena filled with raucous fans – can rattle some teams, but Fisher isn’t concerned about her teammates losing focus.

“You just need to be aware of your own strengths and your abilities,” she said. “You reassure one another all the time that everything is going to be OK.”

The Hornets have played tough competition this season, challenging themselves against teams in Class 3A and 4A routinely with positive results.

Harvard has not lost to a 2A team this season, with its losses coming to fellow McHenry County state tournament-bound teams Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake Central, as well as 3A powers Wauconda, Hampshire and Burlington Central.

“Just playing those tough, bigger schools really prepared us for the postseason,” Brierley said. “It’s paid off.”

Chicago Christian is led by outside hitter Kirsten Harms, who was a member of the Knights’ 2007 state fourth-place team, with 220 kills. There are four relatives, the Kamps, on Chicago Christian’s roster – Stacey, Emily, Maggie and Madison – with Madison being the only Kamp returning from 2007.

Harvard will counter the Knights with Fisher (414 kills) and junior outside hitter Brittany Finke (208 kills). Harvard’s attack in the middle includes Shannon Ditsch (40 blocks) and Megan Struck (108 blocks, 135 kills). Freshman setter Katarina Rotta (665 assists) runs the show.

“At the beginning of the season, this was our huge goal,” Rotta said. “We knew if we played to our potential, we could beat anyone.

“We can’t wait. We know we can do it.”