(Sugar Grove, IL) – After a tough five-set loss earlier in the day against Illinois Valley Community College, Waubonsee Community College's women's volleyball team came out flat initially against Black Hawk College in their final match of the 2023 Region 4 Crossover Tournament. The Chiefs (7-9) eventually got on track to down the Braves (4-15) three games to none, winning 25-19, 25-19 and 25-16. The two-day showcase at Waubonsee's Erickson Hall Gymnasium and Field House Complex, featuring 14 community college teams from across northern Illinois, wrapped up with several closely contested and intense matches.
The Chief found themselves tied with the Braves midway through the first set at 12-all. The score was still close at 18-16 after Abby Colon tallied a pair of kills to put Waubonsee in front. A kill by Elaina Evers helped the Chiefs keep Black Hawk at bay and a service ace by Joselyn Roche made the score 22-19. A solo block in the middle by Chloe Mellman and a return error by the Braves set up game point for Waubonsee. Roche then ended the first set with another ace down the left side.
Black Hawk tallied the first point in the second set as Shannon Kenneavy drilled a kill through the heart of Waubonsee's defense. A moment later Evers returned the favor with a spike down the left side to knot the score. The Chiefs gradually built a 10-6 lead highlighted by a back row kill by Evers down the middle of the court. However, Black Hawk stayed within striking distance on the strength of a pair of kills by Kenneavy and pulled to within a point at 14-13. Evers then elevated for a power spike and followed it up with a service ace as the Chiefs quickly built their lead up to 20-14. Black Hawk got no closer than four points the rest of the set as Roche ended the second game just like she did the first, with an ace for another 25-19 victory.
The third set began with service errors by each team before Ella Bowgren registered a left-handed cross-court kill to put Waubonsee in front 4-2. An ace by southpaw Norah Molitor and another left-handed power kill by Bowgren, this time from the right side, helped the Chiefs extend their lead to 9-4. Waubonsee went on to tally seven out of eight points scored to grab an 11-4 lead. A pair of kills from the middle of the net by Tauja Crump extended Waubonsee's advantage to 15-7. Another smash through the Braves defense, this time by Taylor Greer-Ahmed, prompting Black Hawk head coach Matt Gropel to call timeout. However, the Chiefs continued to roll along as Ella Smykel served up an ace immediately after play resumed.
Black Hawk got to within seven points on two occasions before Waubonsee was able to complete the sweep. Crump scored again from the middle, and Evers made a great dig that was followed up by a Crump block for a score to help get the Chiefs to game and match point at 24-13. Colon then finished things off with a strong kill down the left baseline for the 25-16 win. Evers paced Waubonsee with a dozen kills, 11 digs and three aces. Colon chipped in with 11 kills and eight digs, Gianna Raimondi recorded 30 assists and Roche booked four aces. Waubonsee is in action again on Monday, September 25 when they host Olivet Nazarene University's Junior Varsity beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Erickson Hall Gymnasium on the Sugar Grove campus. Coach Megan Kronschnabel's Chiefs are also scheduled to host Prairie State College on Wednesday, September 27. The Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference match is slated to start at 6:00 p.m.