Sports
LT's Defending State Volleyball Champs Return With Powerful Trio
The Lyons Township volleyball team will be led by fourth-year varsity players Alexis Viliunas, Laura Williams and Megan Miller after winning the 2010 Class 4A state title and taking second in 2009.
LYONS TOWNSHIP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW
COACH: Joann Pyritz (23rd season, 650-214 record)
2010 RESULTS: 41-1 overall, 6-0 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division (1st place); won Class 4A state championship by defeating Cary-Grove 25-23, 19-25, 25-23
RETURNING STARTERS: Seniors Megan Miller (5-6 L/DS), Alexis Viliunas (6-1 S) and Laura Williams (5-10 OH)
OTHER VARSITY RETURNEES: Seniors Kelly Blank (5-9 OH) and junior Alyssa Keeve (6-0 OH)
VARSITY NEWCOMERS: Seniors Kim Campbell (5-7 OH), Angelina Gradilla (5-3 DS) and Anna McJohn (5-10 MH); juniors Katie Hogan (5-8 OH), Morgan Houk (5-8 S); Ana Krkic (6-1 MH), Megan Masterson (5-7 OH), Maggie O’Brien (5-5 S) and Amy Westrick (5-8 OH); sophomore Catherine King (5-10 MH); and freshmen Cori Hansen (5-10 MH), Hannah Juley (5-10 S/OH) and Toni Saracco (5-4 DS)
OUTLOOK: Last season, the Lions reached the top of the mountain as they captured the program’s third state championship by beating Cary-Grove in a 1-hour, 16-minute, three-set final after losing to Cary-Grove 25-23, 25-16 in the 2009 state championship match.
The Lions have just three returning starters, but they’re outstanding fourth-year varsity players headed to NCAA Division I programs – 2010 second-team all-stater Viliunas (University of Illinois), Williams (Duke University) and Miller (Wake Forest University).
Keeve and Blank also return from a state championship roster that graduated two Division I players -- 2010 first-team all-stater Jocelynn Birks (University of Illinois) and special mention all-stater Erin Juley (Long Beach State). Newcomers include a sophomore and three freshmen.
The season begins Friday in La Grange with the first round of the LT Quad with matches against York (3rd in state last year), Sandburg and Lake Forest.
“We still have very high goals but the reality is, of course, we have some holes to fill from graduating players who made a difference,” said Pyritz, who won the 1989 Class AA state title in her first year as LT’s head coach and was a player on the Lions’ 1976 state champs.
“In the same way that when we had Alexis, Laura and Megan were freshmen and on the varsity team, this year we have three freshmen and one sophomore and potentially they could be starters. That means they need to learn to play at this level and we need to learn to work together. We have to challenge those who have the ability to score for us and achieve well and we have to also make sure that we can train and teach athletes to be able to play at a high level.”
Viliunas already has a career school-record 1,556 assists. Other career totals for Viliunas (386 kills, 102 blocks, 92 aces, 520 digs), Williams (631 kills, 101 assists, 70 blocks, 154 aces, 712 digs) and Miller (619 digs) are among LT’s all-time leaders.
Still, they probably will be relied upon even more this season.
“It’s great that these three girls can be rewarded with that credit that they’ve led LT in their skill areas, and now they can lead their peers,” Pyritz said. “These are talented players, but they’re also talented people. They have a vast amount of experience that they can share with younger players on the team and frankly I rely on them to do that. This is that kind of year.”
Primarily a setter, Viliunas led the Lions in assists in 2008 and 2009 and was second last year to Juley in 2010 (320 to 641). But Viliunas also has been among the team leaders in digs, aces, blocks and kills, adding 94 kills, 29 blocks, 16 aces and 148 digs last season. The abilities of Viliunas and Juley allowed LT to run an effective two-setter offense.
“We’ll play a 5-1 (one-setter offense this season), but Alexis is a very tremendous offensive weapon. We do want to make sure she has some opportunities to hit when we need her,” Pyritz said.
Miller returns as the full-time libero after leading the team with 525 digs last season, including a single-match 33-dig performance.
Williams’ often unsung all-around versatility will come to the forefront. Williams had led the Lions in aces the past two seasons behind a vicious jump serve and has been No. 2 on the team the past three seasons in kills and digs, the last two years in kills behind Birks (468 kills in 2010). Williams collected 226 kills, 63 aces, 367 digs, 26 blocks and 39 assists last season.
“(Williams’) contributions went unnoticed, but on the other hand they’re so very valuable. You simply cannot keep the game moving without a player like that,” Pyritz said. “We need her to be at her best to be able to serve aggressively, pass consistently and be the go-to hitter.”
Outside hitters Keeve and Blank saw limited varsity action last season. Among the younger newcomers, King and Hansen will contend with McJohn and Krkic to fill the voids at middle hitter, Saracco is a defensive specialist and setter/hitter Hannah Juley is Erin Juley’s sister.
“My biggest goal right now is to make sure that the players who play a role on this team in support of Laura, Megan and Alexis are playing at their best level and, therefore, our team achieves well,” Pyritz said. “While (our three returnees) will dominate in their specialty skill area, the truth is we’re going to need some all-around players to be able to play the game, keep the ball going.”
