Lyons: Michael Pajkos helps Lyons handle IMSA
Michael Pajkos took a turn at setter earlier this season for Lyons, but he seems to be settled in at right-side hitter in the playoffs.
Lyons opened the postseason with a 25-11, 25-7 victory over IMSA Monday in the Hinsdale Central Regional.
Pajkos had a match-high seven kills for 13th-seeded Lyons (21-13), which will play fourth-seeded Waubonsie Valley at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hinsdale Central.
Lyons led 10-7 and then went on a nine-point run to put the opener away. Sophomore Marko Kostich finished with 17 assists.
“We were moving people around the lineup, but I think now were seeing it solidify,” said Pajkos, a 6-foot-5, left-handed junior.
Lyons went on another long run in the second set. IMSA trimmed the lead to 4-3 on a setting error by Clayton Smentek, but then Lyons scored 10 consecutive points until Kostich committed a service error.
Tonu Pius and Peter Howes had only two kills each to lead 14th-seeded IMSA (12-14).
“I think [to win] we need to block and get our defense down and playing well,” Pajkos said.