Girls volleyball: Minooka tops Normal

Updated: November 1, 2011 8:53PM

At this stage of the girls volleyball season, nothing is expected to come easily.

But Minooka coach Chris Hoelscher and her Indians do not mind if they have it to sweat a bit.

In a back-and-forth sectional semifinal Tuesday night where neither side ever led by more than four points, Minooka senior defensive specialist Taylor Troutman went on serving runs late in each game that put the Indians ahead for good in a 25-21, 25-22 victory over Normal Community.

The match-up, played at Normal West, was part of the Class 4A Edwardsville Sectional. Minooka (29-4 and ranked No. 2 in the Joliet area) will make the long journey down Interstate 55 for the sectional final Thursday against Edwardsville.

“We beat Quincy in this game last year at Pekin and went back to Pekin and lost to Edwardsville for the championship,” Hoelscher noted. “Our girls don’t care about the long trip.

“There’s a 1999 sectional championship banner hanging in our gym, and it’s awfully lonely up there. We would love to get another one.”

Minooka turned a 16-14 deficit into an 18-16 lead with a 4-0 run on Troutman’s serve in Game 1. In Game 2, her ace following one of sophomore Skyler Day’s nine kills helped ignite a 5-0 run that turned a 17-14 deficit into a 19-17 lead.

“Taylor Troutman’s service run did it for us in Game 1, and then her ace started everything in Game 2,” said Hoelscher, whose team had beaten Normal 25-17, 25-22 on Oct. 22. “She was a big difference tonight.”

Noting Day’s contribution, Hoelscher added, “Skyler wasn’t freaked out. She went after it.”

“This wasn’t our top game; maybe we didn’t play as smart as we should,” said senior hitter Stacey Perinar, who had 14 kills and four digs. “But the idea now is to survive.”

“We’re going to have a fun trip Thursday. I’ll enjoy the experience, and we’re going there to win,” said senior libero Haley Bowden, who had six digs.

Tessa Griparis chipped in three kills for Minooka and setter Bri Marquez was outstanding with four kills, 25 assists and two aces.

© 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.