York senior setter Sarah Rose left a lasting impression on a recent opponent.
“For one player to take over a match the way Sarah does is maddening,” Hinsdale South volleyball coach Lisa Tazelaar said. “Anyone you talk to, coach to coach, says the same thing about York: They have other quality players, but she’s the ‘it’ factor. She’s the difference-maker.”
Rose shined throughout York’s 25-17, 25-20 win over Hinsdale South on Wednesday, Sept. 28, finishing with 14 assists, three kills, eight digs, two blocks and one ace.
“She can really put a team on her back,” Hinsdale South outside hitter Emily Drenth said. “You can talk about players needing to do that, but she really does it. She controls the court in ways that an offensive player usually doesn’t do.”
The Marquette-bound Rose is the Dukes’ air-traffic controller on the court. In real time, a setter constantly makes multiple game-speed decisions on which hitters to set, where to set them and where the other team’s vulnerabilities are.
In her fourth season as York’s varsity setter, Rose just about has the position down to a science.
“A lot of times setters are compared to quarterbacks,” Rose said, “in terms of what plays to run and changing the passing lineup, controlling where the hitters are going to run and where the passes go. Setters take on that role.
“I’ve gotten more consistent with my sets, in putting the ball in the same place every time so the hitters know they can expect the ball in the same place. And I’ve tried to get more tricky, so the blockers can’t read me.”
York improved to 16-5 with the win over Hinsdale South. Rose and fellow York seniors Kristie Paus and Sydney Bonthron have aimed to provide leadership in a young team that graduated nine players from last year’s group.
Paus is a middle hitter, while Bonthron is on the outside.
“Kristie and Sydney are doing awesome,” York coach Patty Iverson said. “Our middles are actually our strongest hitters right now … and Sydney is doing well after moving from the middle to the outside this year.
“When your middle hitters have your highest hitting percentage, that has a lot to do with your setter. It certainly has a lot to do with the middle hitters making the opportunity by getting up there, but Sarah getting them the ball is key. Because an average setter wouldn’t be able to do that.”
Rose is just happy to feed her teammates the ball.
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“Kristie is doing so well, and I feel comfortable setting her, even from off the net as a middle,” Rose said. “I know I can set her from anywhere, and she’ll usually get a kill. And Sydney is good at right side and outside, and I’m comfortable setting her at either place, even in the back row.”
Junior Alex Danciutiu led York in kills with 11 against the Hornets, while Paus and Bonthron had four apiece. Bonthron also had eight digs.
But guiding the ship throughout the win was York’s veteran setter.
“Sarah is a hustler and a real competitor,” Iverson said. “She’s quick, she jump-sets everything and she plays good defense. One of the reasons we’re successful is that when we can pass the ball, Sarah has a really good chance of getting our hitters in a one-on-one situation.
“Sarah is one of the best setters in the state.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press