Morgan Kull went to the state finals before she was even born.
Now, the St. Charles East defender is aiming to get back there during her senior year of her second-best sport.
It’s a daunting challenge as the fourth-seeded Saints are lumped with the best of the Tri-Cities in the Class 3A Hoffman Estates Sectional. Top-seeded Geneva, second-seeded St. Charles North and third-seeded Bataviaall potentially loom if the Saints win a regional title.
“It’s the strongest sectional I’ve even been in during my tenure here,” Saints coach Paul Jennison said. “All four teams from the area are incredibly strong.”
Kull wasn’t sure if she would even play soccer this season. She had already committed to play volleyball at Auburn.
“Auburn was willing to allow me to do it, so that was a nice bonus,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s more bittersweet than anything else because it’s the end here. Having played soccer for so long, it’s a nice way to finish.”
In an age of specialization, Jennison was thrilled to learn that he’d have Kull on the field again, and she’s delivered.
“She’s a massive weapon for us, and more importantly, a great kid,” he said. “She’s been able to come out and support her friends and play for her high school while going D-I in another sport. That’s quite the commitment.”
St. Charles East (8-3-5) got a wakeup call April 8 when the Saints were blanked 4-0 by Geneva. Since then, East is a modest 4-2-2, but both losses were 1-0 to Naperville North and St. Charles North, and the ties came against Neuqua Valley and Batavia.
“We had a big loss against Geneva and that got everyone’s attention,” Kull said. “I think we realized we needed to step it up and start playing better. Since then. we’ve been at the same level of everyone we’ve played.”
Kull had 356 assists, 108 digs, 58 kills, 24 blocks and 20 aces to earn volleyball all-area honors in the fall. She has helped the Saints record seven shutouts in soccer.
“She’s done a great job this year, and we asked her to fulfill a different role,” Jennison said. “She’s been playing the left side of the midfield and a very aggressive defensive style to put pressure on other teams.”
Soccer offers a different experience under Jennison than playing volleyball for her coach and mom, Jennie, who was pregnant with Morgan while guiding St. Charles downstate in 1998.
“I’ve liked playing for both,” Morgan said. “With mom we’re on the same page all the time. Jennison is really positive and he’ll say things like, ‘You got this, you just need to do this,’ while my mom’s a little more intense.”
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Kull also has seen the advantages of being a multisport athlete, despite their differences.
“With soccer you’re running up and down the field, while in the other you’re jumping up and down and always on your toes,” she said. “It’s been challenging playing both at such a high level, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Kull believes playing both sports has helped improve her footwork, stamina and leaping ability.
“I know my headers have improved from all the vertical jumping in volleyball,” she said. “And all the miles of running in soccer has helped me along.”
Now, she’s trying to come to terms that her days as a Saint are numbered.
“It hasn’t hit me,” Kull said. “But it’s been a whirlwind with soccer, the ACT and prom.”
C.R. Walker is a freelance writer for The Courier-News.