Timeout strategy boosts Lockport over 'Brook

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LOCKPORT -- Timeout.

That's what the Lockport High School girls volleyball team needed. Once the Porters got it, they regrouped and went on to a 25-21, 25-18 victory against Bolingbrook in the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue Division opener for both teams on Thursday.

"Yeah the timeout allowed us to calm down," said Lockport senior outside/middle hitter Caitlin Ballweber, who led the Porters with 6 kills and added 2 blocks. "We relaxed and pushed ahead."

"The timeout" Ballweber was referring to came in Game 1. Bolingbrook (0-1, 0-1) had just reeled off 3 straight points on a kill by sophomore setter Emily Kramolisch -- who had 14 assists -- and 2 kills by junior outside hitter Robyn Killingsworth, who finished with a team-high 6 kills, to take a 15-12 lead.

Porter coach Julia Hudson, who is in her 29th season as Lockport coach, then called a timeout.

"She was telling us what spots were open," said Lockport junior outside hitter Connor Callozzo of Hudson's timeout strategy. "She knows what to do. We just had to regroup and do better than we were playing."

After the timeout, Bolingbrook served into the net. Callozzo followed that with a kill and after a long hit by the Raiders, junior defensive specialist Danielle Donahue (11 points) put the Porters ahead for good with an untouched ace.

After a passing error by the 'Brook, Ballweber capped off the 6 point run with a kill for a 19-15 Lockport lead. Callozzo, who finished with 4 kills, added 2 more kills as the Porters extended to a 23-18 advantage.

"I saw that the line was open and Lexi was setting well so I went for it," said Callozzo of senior setter Lexi Mastela, who had 13 assists. "We didn't want to underestimate Bolingbrook, they're a good team."

Bolingbrook showed it wasn't going to back down and drew within 23-21 on a Porters error, a tip kill by senior middle blocker Heather Svedja, who had 3 blocks, and a block by junior outside hitter Alex Afaro, who had 3 kills.

But once again Hudson called a timeout and once again it worked. Right out of the timeout, the Raiders made a pair of hitting errors and the Porters walked off with the opening game victory.

Hudson felt she had to call the timeouts because Bolingbrook is a much-improved team.

"What impressed me about Bolingbrook was their defense," Hudson said. "They were very quick and seasoned on defense. That was my challenge to our kids to play better defense."

Lockport (1-1, 1-0) which lost its opener 25-15, 25-18 at Mother McAuley, didn't need to use a timeout in Game 2. Ballweber had 2 kills as the Porters jumped out to a 4-1 lead.

The Raiders did bounce back to grab a brief 9-8 advantage, but it would be their last. With the game tied 12-12, Lockport pulled away with a 7-1 run. During that spurt, junior outside hitter Allie Gritzman put down a pair of kills and junior setter Dana Raber (14 digs, 13 service points) had an ace. Trailing 21-14, Bolingbrook coach Andrea Bercot called a timeout and that helped her team regroup for a 3-oint spurt to draw within 21-17. But the Porters prevailed with a match ending 4-1 run as senior outside hitter Annie Frigo (2 kills) put down a cross-court, match-ending kill.

Junior defensive specialist Lexi Finger added 10 digs for Lockport while senior libero Dana Feigl typified Bolingbrook's defense with 20 digs.

"I'm satisfied and can walk away from here knowing we have improved," said Bercot, in her second season as the Raiders' coach. "There's things to work on in practice, but we can fix the mistakes."