The Prospect boys volleyball team passed its biggest test to date on Tuesday.
The No. 3 Knights (13-0, 5-0) took over the Mid-Suburban South lead by outlasting Schaumburg in a knock-down, three-game battle that lasted nearly two hours.
“They (the Saxons) are by far the best team we’ve faced all year,” said Knight coach Mike Riedy, whose team claimed a 15-9, 12-15, 15-9 decision. “I’m not looking forward to seeming the the second time around (next month).”
Prospect, which hasn’t been taken to three games since its season opener, won its two games with late rallies built partly on Schaumburg errors.
“The match was played fairly even,” said Saxon coachs Jeanette Pancratz, whose team fell to 10-3, 4-1. “There were some key opportunities that Prospect was able to capitalize on.”
One such opportunity came late in Game 1, as the Knights rallied from a 9-8 deficit with seven unanswered points. Five came on Saxon mistakes or misplayed shots.
Prospect also rallied in Game 3. Holding a shaky 10-9 edge, the Knights came up with five straight points to clinch the victory and the match.
Leading 12-9, the Knights launched their final surge as Chris Pontarelli slammed a shot over the net to gain serve, Tim Weidner followed with an alert tap over the net for his team’s 13th point and a Schaumburg net error put Prospect on the verge of victory at 14-9.
Kevin Kowall’s kill wrapped things up.
Pontarelli closed with 16 kills, Kowall added 15 and Chris Faust contributed a game-high 25 kills.
Setter Kevin Hallen, meanwhile, recorded 52 assists, five kills and two aces.
“He got a little shaky in the second game,” said Riedy. “But when it came down to crunch time, he was completely focused and started leading the team very well.”
Schaumburg, which lost twice last weekend to Fremd, dominated Game 2 as 6-7 senior Marcus Klokkenga picked up seven kills–including four straight on the same serve.
Klokkenga’s heroics helped his team claim a temporary 11-7 lead, but the Knights roared back and tied the game an 11. Prospect then went ahead 12-11 on a kill by Hallen.
But Schaumburg’s Brennan Pomroy regained the serve and a block by Harshill Thaker put the Saxons back up for good at 13-12. Schaumburg finally won the game on a Prospect hitting error.
Eric Hauswirth paced Schaumburg with 21 kills while Klokkenga added 15 kills and five blocks.
