By Deren Kudeki
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, The OG, sports

BUCKLEY — After starting out the 2006 campaign 1-5, the girls varsity volleyball team is just one victory away from equaling the school record for most wins in a season (14), set last year.

The Illineks went undefeated at the four-team Crusader Invitational at Buckley Christ Lutheran today, winning four matches and tying a fifth. Their performance brings their season record up to 13-12-1, the first time they've been over .500 all year.

Uni was led by senior Mandy Grill, who earned tournament MVP honors, and junior Ruthie Welch, who made the all-tournament team.

Welch had a total of 48 assists in the tourney, setting a new school record for assists in a season, with 277. Welch also racked up 20 aces and 25 digs over the course of the five matches.

Grill had 33 digs and 15 aces. The senior, who recently broke the school record for career digs, set the record for digs in a season with 199, and broke the record for aces in a season with 76 so far.

The Illineks tied their first match, against Buckley Christ Lutheran, 22-25, 25-12. In order to keep on schedule, the tournament rules did not allow for a third game. In the Crusader Invitational the winner in the case of a tie was determined by who scored the most points total — in this case Uni (47-37).

“I'm not sure whether we are allowed to count that match as a win, or whether we must count it as a tie in our overall record,” said head coach Amanda Palla. “I'm erring on the side of a tie.” [Note: The Gargoyle is counting that match as a tie as well, but we will change it if the IHSA allows Uni to claim it as a victory.]

They went on to win their next four matches, defeating:

— Judah Christian, 25-9, 25-17
— Cornerstone Christian Academy, 25-12, 25-18

— Cornerstone Christian Academy, 25-4, 25-20
— Buckley Christ Lutheran, 25-9, 25-14

Sophomore Jessi Sullivan recorded 26 kills and 12 aces in the tournament, and junior Jamie Weiser contributed 25 digs. Senior Beckaa Wallig racked up six blocks, followed by sophomore Rachel Skoza with five.

On Tuesday the Illineks will face DeLand-Weldon at Kenney Gym in the final home match of the season.

The Illineks found out Friday their opponent in the first round of the IHSA Class A playoffs. They will face Prairie Central in the opening match of the Fisher regional. Uni is seeded No. 16 out of 24 teams in the Stanford Olympia sectional. Prairie Central is No. 23. The match begins 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at Fisher High School.

If the Illineks win that match, they will play No. 5 Stanford Olympia the next night at 7:30, also at Fisher.

VARSITY RECORD: 13-12-1 overall, 6-3 ECIC
(Home matches in bold)
Aug. 31: Oakwood, L 11-25, 23-25
Sept. 2: Atwood-Hammond (at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 23-25, 25-18, 9-15
Sept. 2: LeRoy (at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic), W 25-13, 22-25, 15-10
Sept. 2: South Fork (at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 25-8, 16-25, 8-15
Sept. 2: Rockford Keith (at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 9-25, 17-25
Sept. 2: Lovington (at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 20-25, 9-25
Sept. 5: Buckley Christ Lutheran,* W 25-12, 25-22
Sept. 8: Decatur Christian,* W 25-5, 25-23
Sept. 9: Westville (at Westville Invitational), L 25-17, 10-25, 11-25
Sept. 9: Georgetown-Ridge Farm (at Westville Invitational), W 25-14, 25-15
Sept. 9: Heritage (at Westville Invitational), L 23-25, 21-25
Sept. 9: Salt Fork (at Westville Invitational), L 25-10, 21-25, 25-27
Sept. 11: St. Thomas More, L 25-16, 17-25, 9-25
Sept. 12: at Normal Calvary Baptist,* W 25-20, 21-25, 25-23
Sept. 14: Fisher, W 25-23, 25-22

Sept. 15: at DeLand-Weldon,* L 25-17, 20-25, 22-25
Sept. 18: Normal Calvary Baptist,* L 24-26, 25-15, 23-25
Sept. 22: Decatur Lutheran,* L 16-25, 13-25
Sept. 26: Judah Christian,* W 25-16, 25-11
Sept. 29: at Buckley Christ Lutheran,* W 25-17, 25-17
Oct. 3: at Decatur Christian,* W 23-25, 25-23, 25-18
Oct. 7: Buckley Christ Lutheran* * (at Crusader Invitational), T 22-25, 25-12
Oct. 7: Judah Christian (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-9, 25-17
Oct. 7: Cornerstone Christian Academy (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-12, 25-18
Oct. 7: Cornerstone Christian Academy (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-4, 25-20
Oct. 7: Buckley Christ Lutheran* * (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-9, 25-14
*East Central Illinois Conference opponent
* *ECIC opponent, but match doesn't count in conference standings