The kids were geeked, and who could blame them?
Kelly McGrath and Ashley Ward could not believe their good fortune last summer, learning from coach David Macdonald they were pegged to share setting duties for Metea Valley.
McGrath, a sophomore in her second year at the spot, and Ward, a freshman, would direct an offense that lost plenty to graduation but was still led by Florida recruit Kira Hutson.
“I was super excited,” McGrath said of earning a prime-time role with the defending state champions. “There were nerves, but Kira was so nice and welcoming to us.”
The 6-foot-4 Hutson, an All-American last season and a senior, also was just coming off winning a gold medal with USA Volleyball’s U19 Pan American Cup team.
But Hutson remained sidelined Tuesday night when the second-seeded Mustangs opened defense of their state title with a 25-12, 25-15 victory over 15th-seeded West Aurora in a Class 4A Plainfield South Regional semifinal.
“I felt really honored to be able to set her,” Ward said. “It was very surprising because it’s not common for a freshman to be on the varsity. I’m honored for the position and faith ‘Mac’ has in me.”
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It was great while it lasted. Hutson dislocated her shoulder diving for a ball in a Sept. 12 match. It took three weeks for her to get in for an MRI, revealing a torn labrum.
There’s no coming back this season for Hutson, who had surgery last week.
McGrath and Ward doubled down for Metea (24-8) during Tuesday’s match with identical stat lines of eight assists, two aces and one dig against the Blackhawks (10-22).
Junior Camille Morrison added five kills and five digs and sophomore Addison Torain had four kills and five digs. The outside hitters continued to lead the Mustangs in Hutson’s absence.
Hutson hasn’t missed a practice or a match, according to Macdonald.
“I thought I was going to be coming back in less than a month,” she said. “It’s given me a different look at volleyball and made me appreciate it a lot more, especially going into college ball, which will be harder.”
Hutson plans to graduate early and start working with Florida’s training staff.
Senior co-captain Brenda Reynaga added 11 digs for the Mustangs, who advanced to play at 6 p.m. Thursday in the championship match.
Metea Valley meets ninth-seeded Naperville Central, the DuPage Valley Conference rival which ousted the seventh-seeded Plainfield South 25-18, 21-25, 25-21.
“We understood we’d have new faces,” Macdonald said. “We’ve been through adversity, especially when we lost Kira.
“Brenda kept them together, just being out there and running the ship. It’s pretty much kept us afloat all season.”
His young setters have responded as well.
“They stepped in and they continue to mature,” Macdonald said. “That’s a testament to my assistant, Gus Colima. He works with the setters, his primary duty. They sit next to him every single match.
“He’s constantly talking them through different plays and options that we have. He’s been great as a mentor to them and they’ve been very receptive, learning our system and our setting way of life here at Metea.”
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The 5-7 McGrath, whose mother played the position at Benet and Indiana, is happy with the move from right-side hitter.
“I’ve always looked at being a setter,” McGrath said. “I was on the shorter side of the hitters. I definitely knew it was time for a change.”
Ward grew up a Metea Valley fan, attending matches since grade school.
“She showed me a video her parents shot of her at a match here when she was little girl,” Macdonald said. “My first team, from back in 2013, was in the background.
“I said, ‘Oh man, now you’re starting to make me feel older.'”