(Sugar Grove, IL.) – Something had to give on Wednesday evening in Waubonsee Community College's Field House. The Chiefs' women's volleyball team hosted Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) rival Elgin Community College in their home opener with both teams entering the match-up still looking for their first win of the young season. In Steve Kish's return to Waubonsee as head coach his Chiefs (1-5, 1-0) prevailed over the Spartans (0-7, 0-2) three games to none scoring a 25-17 win, an improbable 25-23 comeback triumph and a 25-15 victory. Kish, who led Waubonsee's program to unprecedented heights for a decade before briefly retiring, coached the last two seasons at the College of Lake County.
Joselyn Roche started things off with a bang in the first game as she registered a serving ace to start the match. The Chiefs jumped out to a 5-0 lead before a service error allowed Elgin to get on the board. A monster kill by Makayla McNally from the left side extended Waubonsee's lead to 7-1. The visiting Spartans battled back to pull within 9-7 keyed by an ace by Alexis Macalindong. Taylor Greer-Ahmed scored a kill for the Chiefs to momentarily stop Elgin's momentum. Waubonsee then gradually built the lead up to 16-10 prompting a timeout by the Spartans. When play resumed Athena Westphal booked a kill and Roche scored another ace to give the home team an eight-point lead. The Chiefs utilized their height advantage up front to maintain a comfortable lead the rest of the way in taking the first set 25-17.
Game two the Spartans scored first and kept rolling along as they surged ahead 12-4 causing Kish to call a timeout. Several Waubonsee miscues contributed to the deficit which ballooned to 16-5. A sensational over the head save by Ily Hunt resulting in a perfectly placed cross court return for a point was the lone bright spot for the Chiefs as Elgin held a commanding 21-11 lead. However, Waubonsee reeled off the next six points to make the Spartans sweat. After an Elgin timeout the Chiefs scored three more times to pull within a point on a kill by Westphal. A moment later Waubonsee tied it at 21-all with their 10th straight point to stun the Spartans and force another Elgin timeout. A return error by Elgin and an ace by Claudia Johnson suddenly put Waubonsee ahead 23-21 with their 12th straight point. The teams then traded points before McNally smashed a kill from the middle of the net to close out a thrilling come from behind 25-23 win for the Chiefs to the delight of a large home crowd.
Game three started with Tauja Crump tallying back-to-back kills at the net for a quick 2-0 lead for Waubonsee. Two minutes later Crump booked an ace as the Chiefs built an 8-3 lead on the way to trying to close out the match. A kill by Hunt extended the lead to 14-5 before Westphal scored an ace to increase the lead to double digits. A minute later McNally finished off a thunderous kill from the left side as Waubonsee remained in control. Everyone contributed for the Chiefs as they took a 22-12 lead. A kill by Westphal set up match point for Waubonsee before things ended when the Spartans' return shot went into the net for a 25-15 win for Kish's crew.
The Chiefs were led by McNally who finished with 10 kills and eight digs. Westphal added nine kills and 20 digs, while Roche booked six aces and 13 assists. Johnson chipped in with a dozen assists and two aces, and Ella Smykal and Madison Marziani-Radomski each tallied eight digs. Waubonsee doesn't return home to play until Wednesday, September 11 when they host the College of Lake County beginning at 6:00 p.m. in another ISCC match.