Andrean is back.
Not that the 59ers went away the last two years, but they now are playing with more confidence and are more aggressive at the net. Other teams are starting to take notice.
It was Kankakee Valley’s turn to witness that Thursday night as Andrean won a close first game and then took total control to win 25-22, 25-17, 25-14 in the Northwest Crossroads Conference match at home.
“We were a little nervous. We heard KV had beat some teams and we had no doubt they were going to take it to us,” second-year coach Hether Lytton said. “We’re a little young but once we get those first-game jitters out, we come back hard.”
The coach pinpointed the key to the victory.
“(The difference was) we stayed away from their middle. We really took advantage of when their middle went to the back row by keying on more of the middle,” Lytton said. “When she was in the middle, we ran out our ping — our outside and right-side hitters — and got them away from her.
“When she was in the front row, we could not run our shoots and quicks because she runs the net very well.”
The win over the Kougars should give the 59ers (9-2, 2-0) a nice lift heading into their big NCC match against Munster at home on Tuesday. The Mustangs haven’t lost a conference match in three years and have won the past three titles.
Andrean last won the conference title in 2011 with an 11-1 record.
On Thursday, the 59ers got a huge lift from freshman Serena Wagner, who had a match-high 14 kills and 14 assists.
“I’m very excited we did this,” Wagner said. “This game built my confidence way up. I know my teammates have my back and they know we all have each other’s backs.
“When we play Munster, we have a chance. If we bring the intensity, we can do it; this is our gym and we know where to play.”
Sophomore Jenna DalSanto also added 12 kills, while twin sister Christina DalSanto had two aces and 10 digs. Junior setter Korie McCrea recorded 20 assists.
Andrean totaled 10 aces.
“Our service game has really helped us excel and taken teams out of system,” Lytton said. “We work a lot on serving and serving zones. That’s the best part of our game.”
The attitude is different this year, too.
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That truly may be the team’s biggest weapon .
“We are taking it to every team we meet,” Lytton said. “You are getting our best every single game and that’s what we expect every time we step on the floor. That doesn’t matter if it’s conference, nonconference or a tournament.”
Ryan Haskell is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.