Swimming was supposed to be Kylie Filipiak’s destiny.
Her older brother swam for Michigan City, and she was a club swimmer until her passion for the sport subsided in seventh grade. That’s when she gave up the sport to focus full-time on volleyball.
Things have gone swimmingly this season for the junior outside hitter.
An all-conference choice last season, Filipiak has accumulated 186 kills, 13 aces and 193 digs this year for the Wolves (20-5), who wrap up the regular season in two weeks.
First-year coach TR Harlan used to go against Filipiak and her Wolves when he was coaching Chesterton. Now, he gets to watch her flourish as an upperclassman.
“She’s a great kid having watched her the last couple of years on the other sideline,” Harlan said of Filipiak. “She’s really expanded her role. She’s one of our primary passers and defenders, but it hasn’t stopped how good a hitter she is and how dynamic she is.”
Michigan City’s ball control is one of the reasons why the Wolves are competing more than in years past. Michigan City finished under .500 two seasons ago. The Wolves finished with 21 wins last season.
Michigan City has a chance Tuesday to tie last year’s win total against Chesterton, a team the Wolves beat in four games on Sept. 8.
“You can’t do anything in volleyball if you can’t pass,” Harlan said. “So growing defensively has helped us get in our offense. We have a lot of weapons and a good passing game that allows us to diversify a little bit more.
“If Kylie doesn’t pass the way she does and take the pressure off our libero and Karmen Halfacre, then we don’t get to do all those things.”
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One of those key moments where the passing game set up the offense was the Wolves’ win over Valparaiso in the Michigan City Tournament championship on Sept. 17. It avenged a loss to Valpo in last year’s tourney final.
Filipiak said that was a defining point for this season.
“We hadn’t beaten Valparaiso since I’ve been here,” she said. “That definitely helped boost our confidence. We’ve also had big wins against Lake Central and LaPorte this season so we feel good about where this is going.”
Michigan City would be a darkhorse to win the Class 4A Merrillville Sectional, with Crown Point being the heavy favorite.
But it wouldn’t be out of the question if the Wolves made a run, especially since Valparaiso was undefeated and had a clear path to semistate last season before Crown Point shocked the Region with wins over the Vikings and then Lake Central in the regional championship.
The Wolves can be this year’s team flying under the radar if they continue to grow in continuity on the court.
“I think success breeds success if you are winning,” Harlan said. “I think we still go through some growing pains starting three sophomores and a freshman. Winning that tournament and beating Valparaiso was special for these kids.
“It gives us a ton of confidence going forward with the postseason getting ready to start. That’s a big thing.”
No doubt.
59ers make a stand: Andrean gave Munster its first conference loss in five years Thursday night when the 59ers beat the Mustangs 25-27, 25-22, 25-23, 25-21. Both teams now have 8-1 records in conference and will share the title if they win out. Danielle Moynihan led Andrean (20-4) with 23 kills, while Jenna DalSanto added 11 kills and Serena Wagner had 26 assists.
Glads keep cruising: Gavit is on the verge of a 20-win season after rolling past Morton on Thursday night. The Gladiators (19-6) are 6-0 in the Great Lakes Athletic Conference. Rebecca Cruz had 18 digs and two aces against the Governors, while Kayla Phelps had 22 kills and 11 digs and Claire McDaniel added 26 assists.
Ryan Haskell is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.