It’s a timing thing, really.
When the quick sets to a middle hitter from the setter are clicking, the offense flows like a well-executed fast break in basketball. When done right, it’s poetry in motion.
It took time Monday night, but once senior middle Charlotte Potvin and junior setter Bridget Feichter began connecting for Geneva, there was no stopping them.
“It’s a lot of fun when it’s working,” the athletic 6-foot-2 Potvin said.
It worked Tuesday night as Potvin picked up 10 kills, a pair of blocks and four aces in sparking the host Vikings to a 25-20, 25-15 DuKane Conference win over St. Charles East.
Potvin, who’s committed to NCAA Division II Indiana of Pennsylvania, quickly gets off the floor and hits the ball down hard, especially when Feichter puts it barely above the net.
“Charlotte can beat any block when it’s set like that,” Geneva coach Lauren Kosecki said. “It’s really nice to see them start to connect a little bit.”
Junior outside hitter Samantha Vanda added eight kills for Geneva (20-8, 5-1). Junior Fiona Turnbull, a 6-3 middle, and junior Lillian Hallahan, a 5-7 outside, each had five kills.
Feichtel, who’s in her first season setting for the varsity, chipped in with 24 assists to pave the way past St. Charles East (7-19, 3-3).
“Every middle likes the set a little different,” Kosecki said. “Fiona, our other middle, likes it set a little higher. She likes to reach a little higher. Charlotte likes it a little quicker.
“It’s something we do every day in practice, working on those steps, because it take a little time to connect.”
The young Saints, who lost all but one starter from last year’s team that finished fourth in state in Class 4A, started strong and actually led 19-14 in the first game.
Then Potvin took over.
“I think what I like about being a middle is just how fast I get to run all the quick plays, especially slides,” Potvin said. “That’s my favorite because I’m up there so early.
“I can look down at who’s in front of me so I know what area to hit it to avoid the block.”
Potvin accounted for five points with four kills and a block as the Vikings closed out the first game with a 10-1 run, capped by Feichter’s dump kill for the winner.
“We were definitely slow moving to start, but we got going,” Kosecki said. “I’ve got faith in them, but we have to start quicker. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. Any team is going to show up, and you have to be able to show up, too.”
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“I think it just takes a lot of trust,” Potvin said. “Trusting that the setter can get you the ball no matter what. It takes a lot of communication. Bridget and I have worked really hard on that.”
Feichter said the team’s energy picked up as the match progressed. The Saints, who were led by Tatum Ahrens with four kills, struggled to recover.
“I was getting a lot more passes where Charlotte was able to open up herself onto the court where I could easily find her,” Feichter said. “It allowed us to push through in the end.”
Kosecki and Potvin have also built a connection working together for four years, starting with the JV team in Potvin’s freshman year before both went to varsity the next season.
“Charlotte is a good energy leader, good vocally on and off the court,” Kosecki said. “People know she’s there. She’s getting the reward with that, too, with the kills.
“She gets me now — she better in our fourth years. She knows what I want and expect. She was a puppy that first year, all arms and legs, but I knew she had potential. She’s grown so much as a player and leader.
“It’s been awesome to see.”
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