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Sports

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Spartans Come Back to Beat Warren in Three

After losing the first game, GBN won the season opener 20-25, 25-23, 25-13 over the Blue Devils.

One of the goals of the Glenbrook North girls volleyball team this season is to avoid big runs against them.

The Spartans failed to do that in the first game of the season opener against Warren, but kept the runs to a minimum in the last two games to pull off a come-from-behind win. GBN beat the visiting Blue Devils 20-25, 25-23, 25-13 Thursday night.

Warren used a seven point run to take a 12-4 lead in game one and cruised the rest of the game, but the Spartans played steadier in the last two games and rarely trailed.

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“It’s our first match, so I kind of expected that we might come out a little bit jittery at the beginning,” said GBN coach Chris Cooper. “I didn’t make any changes after that first game because I felt like that group that was out there started to come back in that first game. They carried that on in the rest of the match.”

Last year the Spartans lost 17-16 in the Class 4A regional semifinals, but after graduating only four seniors the team hopes to win a regional this time around. With nine seniors and key junior outside hitter Patricia Hare back, the Spartans have reason to think they can get to sectionals.

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“We have a lot of returning seniors and a lot of returning experience to the team so there’s not that many new faces, but the new sophomores are contributing a lot to the team,” Hare said.

However, Cooper thinks his team is less experienced than it looks on paper.

“Some of the kids that are playing that are seniors didn’t play a ton last year so even though it looks like a veteran squad we’re still feeling our way,” Cooper said.

Two sophomores, 5-11 Kate Kamin and 6-1 Lauren Emmert, started in the opener and add height to the team. Height is one of the strengths of the team; seven girls are listed at 5-11 or taller.

Libero Julie Caplan had a nine point serving run early in the final game to give the Spartans a commanding 10-1 lead. Cooper says the team’s serving should be very good this year.

Hare led the team with ten kills, followed by Kamin with six kills.

5-11 senior hitters Shayna Fox and Sarah Winter started with seniors Abby Shamis and Pekala splitting setting duties.

The Spartans return to action Tuesday at home against Mundelein.

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