State loss continues to fuel Anderson’s fire

Middle hitter Amelia Anderson (center) and the Crystal Lake Central girls volleyball team lost to eventual IHSA Class 3A state champion Joliet Catholic in the semifinals last season. Anderson, a junior this season, said the Tigers are “looking for revenge” this fall. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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CRYSTAL LAKE – When Crystal Lake Central’s volleyball match against Joliet Catholic was finished and the eventual IHSA Class 3A state champion Angels had defeated the Tigers, Amelia Anderson stood with her hands on her hips, an irritated look on her face.

Anderson, Central’s 6-foot-1-inch middle hitter, cannot stand to lose. Instead of crying, Anderson’s steely reserve indicated that, had it been a possibility, she was ready for a rematch right then and there.

Her attitude, in part, has been what has helped the junior become the sensation that she is, springing onto the high school volleyball scene in the Tigers’ starting rotation as a freshman two years ago.

Nearly one year after the Class 3A state semifinal loss, Anderson still hasn’t quite shaken it. She doesn’t lose often; when she does she makes a vow not to let it happen again.

“We’re still looking for revenge this year,” said Anderson who helped the Tigers finish fourth in Class 3A last season. “We know we could have done better, so that’s what we want to do this year. We’re going to try our hardest to improve all the time.”

Anderson’s talent was obvious as a freshman.

She was a dominant presence at the net and a nice second option to now-graduated middle hitter Lindsay Anderson, who is not related.

During her sophomore campaign Anderson looked bound for success, and during the offseason she took one more step toward validating that assumption. Anderson helped her Sky High 16 Black club volleyball team win the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in late June and was named to the all-tournament team at the club’s ensuing competition, the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships, where 16 Black finished third.

Anderson thrives on the juxtaposition of her attitude after big wins like those against the emotions after key losses.

“When I think about [the AAU title] I get goose bumps,” she said, looking down at her arm before a recent summer league game. “It was my 16th birthday the day we won, and between the feeling of winning and my teammates singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me, it was just all so surreal. I can’t even describe it.”

Those are the moments Anderson will try to replicate this fall.

There are distractions, of course.

Recruiters are starting to swarm; opposing high school coaches are coming up with strategies.

But Anderson isn’t focused on any of that. It’s all about that loss last year, the one that forced Central to bring home a fourth-place trophy instead of the state crown.

“I don’t have to do a whole lot of coaching with Amelia,” Tigers coach Doug Blundy said. “ ... She’s not a big fan of running, but when we lose a match, she’ll take off and start running.

“She’s not the type of person who blames anyone for losses. She’ll take that on herself. She just hates to lose.”

The Tigers finished 36-3 last year and lost a few key players to graduation, but they have strength at several positions returning.

Senior setter Tracy Friel returns for the Tigers as well as outside hitters Tara Weber and Courtney Kiolbassa and defensive specialist Corrie Gustin to complement Anderson, who should take on expanded responsibilities this year including serving and hitting from different areas on the court.

“You’ll see her rounding out her game,” Blundy said.