Change in momentum works against Chargers

Aurora Central's Stephanie Pogwizd (11) spikes the ball over the outstretched hands of Driscoll's Stephanie Sullivan.
(Donnell Collins/For the Beacon News)

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AURORA -- It is often said the team that has a player named "momentum" on its side has the big advantage.

That certainly held true at Aurora Central on Wednesday as "mo" switched to Driscoll's side and enabled them to defeat the Chargers' volleyball team in three games 20-25, 25-22 and 25-17.

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Aurora Central's Brooke Frantzen (13) celebrates a point with her teammates during Wednesday night's volleyball match against Driscoll.
Photos by donnell collins/Special to the Beacon News

It was a disappointing ending for senior night as Kristin Brouch, Michelle DeSimone, Brooke Frantzen, Brittany Holzer, Stephanie Pogwizd, Casey Regnier and Carly Schroeder were honored before the match.

ACC was in charge in Game 1 and held a 21-11 lead behind the hitting of Natalie Steinwart (nine kills) and Rachel Miller (eight kills), but Lauren Buba had key hits near the end to quell a mini-comeback by Driscoll.

"Everyone had good timing (in Game 1) and good court awareness, talking to each other in getting balls," Steinwart said.

Game 2 began well for ACC as Frantzen (16 assists, four aces) had two "quick sets" which Miller pounded for winners.

Central worked its way to a 20-15 lead as Steinwart, Pogwizd and Miller hit winners and Frantzen served two aces, but the crowd could feel the tide turn as Sarah Ridder had a long winner which hit the baseline. The Highlanders had key blocks and the Chargers made three straight errors to force a third game.

"We had a decent lead in Game 2 and let them get back in it," said Central coach Randy Hewitt. "That was just the momentum they needed. We got very tight as Game 2 went on."

Driscoll took a 12-6 advantage in the final game behind the net play of Christine Driscoll and Katelyn Conenna and the serving of Laura Gillihan.

Steinwart seemed to ignite ACC with two thunderous kills and propelled her team back to tie it at 12, and it seemed that there would be an exciting finish when the Highlanders held a 19-17 lead. The Chargers, however, had six consecutive mistakes and saw their chance slip away.

"Once we started digging ourselves down again, I think our girls thought 'We should be winning now but we're not,'" Steinwart said. "That got in our heads and we weren't communicating like a team in the last two games."

Central (10-17, 1-11 Suburban Catholic Conference) was looking for its second conference victory, but instead allowed Driscoll its first SCC win.

"We were very uptight in Game 3. Sometimes we were trying to do too much," Hewitt said. "Other times it was a lot of communication errors. All the fluidity that we sometimes have had this season -- we just didn't have it in Game 3."