It’s tough watching someone else get the championship plaque.
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But Lockport pushed unbeaten Barrington to the limit in Saturday’s final match at the Barb Walaszek Invitational.
Grace Juergens savored the positives and left with a smile.
“It’s a great feeling to know we could match up against them, take a set away from them,” Juergens said. “It just makes you excited for the season and gives you confidence you can go far as a team during the playoffs.
“I have a lot of confidence in this team. Even though we’re undersized, we know we can match up with the taller teams.”
Juergens, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, is off to a great start in her senior season.
The New Haven commit has a team-leading 92 kills and 18 aces for Lockport (9-3). She also has contributed 85 digs and six blocks.
In Saturday’s 16-25, 25-17, 25-17 loss to Barrington, she put down nine kills. Six came during an impressive performance in Game 1 that caught coach Nick Mraz’s attention.
It didn’t surprise him, however.
“Grace has been our go-to player — back row, front row,” Mraz said. “When we’re out of system, we want to look to her for leadership and smart decisions.
“She was attacking that block early on against Barrington, then our serve receive broke down a little bit. But she still kept that positivity up and made adjustments.”
Juergens grabbed the leadership reins in 2021, earning all-area and all-conference honors.
Even then, she was a battler. During one match against Sandburg, she left the court with a bloody left wrist from a floor burn. Some tape stopped the bleeding. Juergens’ grit took care of the rest as the Porters prevailed.
She’s tough. And getting stronger.
“I’ve been working during the summer in the weight room,” Juergens said. “It’s what I love to do. I want very much for us to go further than we did last season in the playoffs.
“I’m excited to take this team far as a senior.”
Fitting right in: Andrew coach Emily Connolly had to wait until sophomore MaTaia Lawson fully recovered from an ankle issue to see her play.
But before the Marist transfer ever took the court for the Thunderbolts, Lawson already was contributing.
“Even when she was hurt, she had the best attitude,” Connolly said. “She was super cheerful for her teammates. And then the moment she came in, she made a big impact.”
Lawson led the way Saturday with seven kills and 23 digs as the Thunderbolts beat Oswego 26-24, 21-25, 25-15 in the fifth-place match at the Barb Walaszek Invitational.
For the season, Lawson has 70 kills, 164 digs and 15 aces for Andrew (7-7). A two-sport athlete, she also plays softball at an elite level for Iowa Premier.
In volleyball, she plays club for First Alliance. She started her career as a defensive specialist and libero before adding outside hitter to her resume at nationals.
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“For here, I like playing outside,” Lawson said. “I’ve always played defense. But hitting has been my favorite thing since last year.
“I love volleyball. Would I see myself playing at a college? Probably not because of softball. But I’m really happy right now.”
Middle mighty: Mother McAuley completed a successful trip to Kentucky by sweeping the field at the Louisville Invitational Tournament. The Mighty Macs beat longtime rival Assumption 25-19, 23-25, 25-21 for the title.
Michigan recruit Ellie White starred with 92 kills over five matches, but middles Ellery Rees and Jillian Moonan also drew rave reviews from McAuley coach Jen DeJarld.
In the final against Assumption, Rees and Moonan combined for eight kills and eight blocks.
“We were playing against a 6-4 middle and a 6-1 middle,” DeJarld said. “They were probably two of the best we’ve seen. They get set a lot. Ellery and Jill did an excellent job against them.
“Obviously, we had Ellie, but we don’t want Ellie hitting every single ball. Our setters did a great job moving the ball around and our passers did a great job. Our middles did an amazing job.”