There is no good time for a weather delay in sports, especially when that sport is played indoors. Just ask Ruth Ziegler.
The Warren junior middle hitter had just pounded down one of her match-high 10 kills during a Class 4A Highland Park Regional semifinal on Tuesday when the rains came.
Actually, it had been raining most of the day on the North Shore, but the rains came to Highland Park’s main gym by way of a ceiling leak — just as Warren took a 9-1 lead against the host Giants in the opening set.
“That’s the first time something like this has happened for me,” Ziegler said.
After it was determined the leak near the net was going to continue, the contest was moved to Highland Park’s tradition-filled old gym down the hall. There was a delay of more than 30 minutes, with both teams having a short warmup in the new surroundings.
“It was a little concerning because we started so well,” Ziegler said. “Then we had to move all our stuff and warm up again. But I thought we handled it well.”
Ziegler and the fourth-seeded Blue Devils overcame a little hiccup late in the second set to win 25-7, 25-19 against the 15th-seeded Giants.
Warren (27-9) will play 12th-seeded Grant (20-15) in the regional championship match at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Bulldogs upset fifth-seeded Hersey in the other semifinal.
Warren had an up-and-down start to the season before the powerful 6-foot-3 Ziegler was given a more active role in the offense.
“We needed to get Ruth more touches — not just hitting from the middle, but on the sides and in the back row too,” Warren coach Yun Chen said. “So we made some lineup changes.
“It took away some touches from other players, but I think everyone realized it was going to make us a better team — a more difficult team to defend.”
Warren has won 11 of its past 13 matches.
“We have a more stable lineup now, and I think it shows with our play over the last few weeks,” Chen said.
Ziegler, who has committed to play at Illinois State, said she has grown more confident as the season has progressed.
“I just feel more comfortable out on the court now,” she said. “I love being able to move around more at the net.”
Against Highland Park (6-22), Ziegler shined at the net and at the service line. She had three aces.
Serving was the key for the Blue Devils in the opening set — sparked by Lauren Schilz, who had seven straight service points in two gyms to put Warren ahead 12-1.
In the second set, clutch hitting by Lauren Shaw (six kills) and Delaney Coombes (five kills) helped Warren build a 16-5 lead. But the Giants, led by Bailey Brynes and Dunja Savic, cut that to 22-19 late in the set.
A kill by Shaw and two service points by Ziegler — including an ace on match point — ended it.
“I think we are playing our best volleyball right now,” Ziegler said. “We know every match now is going to be a battle. Our seniors are really stepping up and encouraging everyone to play at the top of their game.”
Darren Day is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.