C-G’s terminator

Cary-Grove junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti is the Northwest Herald Girls Volleyball Player of the Year. Lamberti finished the season with 402 kills and 96 aces, both school records, and played a pivotal role on the IHSA Class 4A state championship team. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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CARY – Two points stood between Glenbrook South and a chance to play for the IHSA Class 4A state title during the semifinal match Nov. 13 at Redbird Arena in Normal.

Then Kelly Lamberti took over.

The Cary-Grove junior outside hitter had not worked so tirelessly throughout the regular season to come to the state tournament and settle for playing for third place. Lamberti seized control of the semifinal match against the Titans down the stretch, knocking down four of her match-high 17 kills in a thrilling 8-2 run for the Trojans that gave them a come-from-behind victory and the right to play for a Class 4A state title, which they won Nov. 14 with a win against Lyons.

Lamberti lit up the court during the state title match as well, terminating 12 times to finish the state tournament with
29 kills in five games.

The performance underscored the junior’s season-long dedication to dominant play and cemented her as the area’s most prolific hitter this season.

For dazzling during the state finals and dominating her competition all season, Lamberti is the Northwest Herald Girls Volleyball Player of the Year as selected by the sports staff with input from local coaches.

Lamberti’s C-G teammate, senior setter Abbey Heredia, also received strong consideration for the honor. Crystal Lake Central senior libero Julie Jeziorowski and Prairie Ridge setter and outside hitter Taylor Brauneis also were considered.

Lamberti is joined on the All-Area First Team by Heredia, Jeziorowski, Brauneis, Harvard senior outside hitter Ashleigh Fisher and Hampshire seniors Amy Wehrs (outside hitter) and Kara Wehrs (setter/outside hitter).

Lamberti finished her season with 402 kills and 96 aces, both of which shattered school records. She has 1,215 career kills and 212 career aces in three years as a varsity player. She received All-State First Team recognition from the Champaign News-Gazette and was a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division All-Conference selection.

“She is one of the most talented players I have ever coached,” C-G coach Patty Langanis said. “She works so hard and is very intent on improving. She’s such a powerful hitter, too. I don’t know if we would have won that semifinal match without her.”

Lamberti is more eager to talk about her teammates’ contributions than her own; her humble approach might in part fuel her development as a player.

Bringing home a state title brought plenty of attention to Lamberti and her teammates – attention the 6-foot standout didn’t know how to handle.

“It’s weird to be in the center of it,” Lamberti said. “People ask how it felt and I think it’s important to give credit to everyone on our team because it really was our team that did this. It wasn’t any one person.”

There is no denying Lamberti’s impact on the Trojans.

“She can make things happen by herself,” Langanis said. “She is just a very nice option to have and an extremely dangerous hitter.”

C-G determined at the beginning of the season that it was capable of winning a state title, but the goal became less lofty and more realistic as the season progressed.

“During the middle of the season, when we started playing really well, everyone started to realize we could really do it,” said Lamberti, who has not yet committed to a collegiate volleyball program. “We started putting in 110 percent at practice. Everyone was focused on it.”