Girls volleyball showed signs of hope throughout the first set of regional semifinals on Tuesday night, but the Kits fell short to Niles West in consecutive sets, 25-15, 25-8.
After the whistle blew, the Wildkits (4-30) served for their first (and only) lead of the night, but after Niles West (25-10) got its first point of the match off of an Evanston error, the Wolves got out in front, remaining there for the entirety of two sets.
“I definitely don’t think we played our game,” says assistant coach Keegan Joyce. “I think we are much stronger than that. It shows in our practices, but maybe it’s a mental thing. We couldn’t overcome the environment that we were playing in.”
The Kits lacked the communication needed to combat Niles West’s continuous offensive onslaught, especially attacks from hitter Amina Dervisevic and blocker Mia Niketic. The Wildkits had few kills on the night and couldn’t gain the momentum needed to pull ahead. Despite isolated moments of cohesion, the Kits couldn’t sustain an effective defense over two sets. Just as the Kits struggled to keep the attacking Wolves at bay, Evanston wasn’t able to string together controlled rallies of its own.
Still, individual successes—especially from the team’s juniors—show promise for Evanston volleyball. Frankie Taylor showcased her reliability, with exceptional blocking and determination. Sarah Skey’s powerful serves brought multiple of the few second-set scores for the Kits.
“Frankie Taylor definitely had some good blocks,” says Joyce. “Looking forward to that [next season]. Isa [de los Reyes], our libero, came out pretty strong and was some nice consistency for us. Lina Hauser, our setter, really brought calmness and kept everyone positive.”
The Wildkits finished the regular season with a record of 4-29, taking wins against Lake Forest, Highland Park, Wheeling and Maine East. The team won 11 of the 72 sets played this year.
Hauser, Skey, Taylor, and freshman Sienna Bowen will remain for the 2024 season, but Evanston will miss graduating seniors Isa de los Reyes, Greer Rutter, Margot Van Nice, and Annika Stewert.
Joyce already has the areas of improvements she expects for next year on her mind. “Communication, staying positive and letting mistakes go.”
