2011 Fall Preview: Wheaton North Girls Volleyball

Wheaton North girls volleyball

Coach: Carole Kristensen, 15^th season

2010 record: 11-19 overall, 6-8 in the DuPage Valley Conference (fifth place). Lost to in the regionals.

Key players: Libbie Casey, sr. middle hitter; Katie Kirschbaum, sr. right-side hitter; Maddie Lenz, sr. defensive specialist; Becca Smith, sr. middle hitter; Katie Thornton, sr. setter; Claire Trumpy, sr. right-side hitter; Christina Wilke, sr. defensive specialist-libero.

2011 SEASON OUTLOOK:

Don’t let the Falcons’ 2010 overall record fool you. They may not be loaded with star players, but they’re a scrappy team, and play their particularly tough.

“We had a lot of three-game matches in the DVC (last year), and they were close,” Kristensen said. “It’s just getting over the hump, and part of that is I didn’t have Katie for almost four weeks, and that’s huge.”

Katie is Katie Thornton, the Falcons’ captain and senior setter who’s experienced some particularly tough luck with injuries the past two years.

Thornton suffered a knee injury midway through last season, and the team didn’t get her back until regionals. Her sophomore season was equally as frustrating as she battled a case of swine flu and then broke a finger while putting away volleyball equipment after practice.

Kristensen is happy to report Thornton is 100 percent and ready to go.

“She’s doing great,” Kristensen said. “She can place the ball wherever it needs to be placed, and she definitely is my star key player. She runs the offense very well, and she can set anything from anywhere. We just have to keep her healthy.”

The 2011 squad, with 13 players on the roster, is the largest team Kristensen has fielded in recent memory at Wheaton North. Those numbers, she said, will give her substitution options during matches that she’s not had the luxury of making in the past.

“I’m feeling very excited,” she said.

“We’re hoping to surprise a lot of teams.”

It all begins and ends with defense for the Falcons.

“I think our defense will pull us through in a lot of matches,” Kristensen said. “I don’t think we’ll blow anybody out; we will have a lot of close matches. We’ll fare out very well on our side with our athleticism.”

Kristensen may very well flip-flop Wilke between defensive specialist—her usual position—and libero.

“She works very well with Katie,” Kristensen said. “She knows exactly where Katie wants it (the ball). She’s really come alive and her passing is right on.”

The Falcons’ athleticism to which Kristensen made reference will compensate for their lack of height. She cites Casey as a prime example of an athletic player who’ll be a factor up front for Wheaton North throughout the season.

“She’s quick on offense and can hit in just about any set,” Kristensen said. “Because of her athleticism I made her a middle hitter because she can close up a block.”

Kristensen also likes what Smith, a two-year starter, brings to the table as a middle hitter.

“She reads the opposing hitter very well,” Kristensen said. “She’s not as athletic as Libbie, but she knows her role. She knows she’s in there to block, and runs a beautiful slide-hit.”

Kristensen will work three juniors into the rotation: outside hitters Kendra Arenkill and Ali Royer, and right side-middle hitter Hannah McGee—a transfer from Plano who was on the Reapers’ varsity volleyball team and also ran track.

The Falcons travel to St. Charles East for their first regular season match Tuesday, Aug. 30.