Alyssa Worden had a choice to make in March, and it was a bit of a dilemma.
Should she play with her Sports Performance club team or play high school volleyball at South Elgin during its delayed season?
A talented 5-foot-10 outside hitter, Worden posted a team-high 315 kills as a freshman in 2019 to lead the Storm to a 28-8 record and the program’s first conference title.
“It was really a tough decision,” Worden said. “It was a weird time with COVID pushing back the high school season.”
Suddenly, though, it wasn’t so tough.
“I was originally going to go with my school team,” Worden said. “But my club coach gave me the opportunity to play up with the 18-year-olds.”
How did that work out?
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Well, Worden started for the Sports Performance 18 Elite team that finished 43-3 and took second at the AAU Junior National Tournament.
“I took that opportunity and it improved me, individually, as a player,” she said.
Joni Plach has coached South Elgin since the school opened in 2005. She understood Worden’s decision, especially since high school teams could not play in tournaments and did not have a postseason.
Emma Hunter, a defensive specialist, also opted to play club. The Storm went 6-4 but has everyone back for this season.
“I’ve seen Alyssa grow tremendously mentally,” Plach said. “She knows what it takes for us to win, and (Thursday) was proof it can’t be ‘The Alyssa Show’ for us to win matches.”
Plach spoke after her team rallied to take a 22-25, 25-20, 25-23 win over nonconference rival Schaumburg in the season opener.
The Storm then went 3-1 over the weekend at the U-46 Invitational, dropping a 25-18, 21-25, 15-13 decision to Bartlett in the championship match.
Adjustments are being made.
“It’s out that Alyssa Worden is back for South Elgin,” Plach said. “Other teams know and they’re camping on her. We’ve talked about it.
“Yes, we know we have Alyssa and she can hit hard, but volleyball is a team effort and it takes everybody to get kills.”
It did against Schaumburg, a team that had a taller front row and put up a solid block.
A trio of juniors led the way for the Storm in the opener, with Worden and 5-8 Madeleine Shaner each recording 10 kills and 5-9 junior Lily Slowinski adding five.
Plach also received solid play from Hunter, a senior the coach moved to setter, where she split duties with junior Arielle Martin. It was the first varsity match at the position for both players.
“Emma has never set before but she plays a lot of beach volleyball and gets a lot of touches,” Plach said. “Her defense is amazing and her volleyball knowledge is good. We know we can’t just set Alyssa outside because she’s going to get blocked.
“We were able to run middles, and we have right sides who can put the ball down. Obviously, Alyssa is a big player for us, but it’s definitely the whole team.”
Worden knows that as well.
“We have a couple team goals,” she said. “We definitely want to win conference and maybe the regional and improve on that record from my freshman year.
“Honestly, I don’t think I did too well, hitting wise (against Schaumburg). I’ve done much better, but the team stepped up. I feel like I contributed pretty well in the back row and my serving was pretty good.”
Her 14 digs and three aces bear that out. And when it became crunchtime, Worden was very much at the forefront.
The Storm trailed 17-13 in Game 3 when Worden reeled off five straight service points, capped by back-to-back aces.
The teams seesawed to a 23-23 tie, with the right-handed Worden putting down a pair of kills to decide it. One was on a blast, the other with a well-placed hit with her left hand to an open spot on the court.
“That was pretty much from experience,” Worden said. “The more you play, the more you learn what’s best to do with the ball, especially in midair.
“If the set is not in the perfect place you want, you have to figure out what to do and think of the best way to score.”