By Randy Whalen

After graduating nine seniors, including numerous top players from last season's record-setting squad, one might think that the expectations are down for the Joliet West girls' volleyball team.

Guess again.

The Tigers showed they will still be a top force to reckon with as they had some very successful summer play. 

They were in the summer league at Velocity Volleyball in Mokena. Against a loaded field of most of the top SouthWest Suburban Conference teams, the Tigers finished second in the playoffs, which were held in the final week.

The new faces showed what they could do, while some returners will do their best to ensure that Joliet West is good for years to come.

“The potential varsity athletes are eager and ready to continue to show what Joliet West volleyball is," Tiger coach Chris Lincoln said. "They are fighters and have great potential to do big things. These young women work very well together and just love being on the court.”

During the three-week summer league, the team squared off on Tuesdays and Thursdays for three weeks. There were two matches each night and the first two weeks were pool play. The final week started the playoffs and the Tigers won both of their first-day matches, including 25-17, 23-25, 16-14 over a very good Bolingbrook squad.

"The first set was great, everyone was connecting and it went well," Joliet West junior right side hitter/setter Lina Govoni said following that match. "Then Bolingbrook pulled it together but it was a super team effort and we wanted to put it down and win.

"It was a fun match and was super fun to win."

Govoni is one of the new varsity players on the team and is ready for the challenge to step up.

"We have a bunch of new players," Govoni said. "We graduated nine seniors but the energy and the talent level isn't any less. The summer was good, and it was the first time some of us played against other teams."

The summer was good and it leads up to the regular season. So it's sort of like spring training in baseball since it brings the team together for the first time. 

"I think since we have a lot of new faces it will take a bit to get connected," sophomore setter Julia Adams said. "But there's not any less talent. Sure we lost some good players and it will take a little bit to overcome it and get our groove together and find out which style of play is best for us."

Adams will be entering her second season of setting for the Tigers. So even though she's a sophomore, she's already a veteran and a leader. She believes the team will continue its success.

"I love setting and connecting with different hitters," Adams said. "We know we have to step up. We really have to live up to the name now."

On Thursday, July 25, Joliet West defeated a familiar foe and local rival, Lockport Township by the score of 25-18, 20-25, 15-10. Earlier in the summer league pool play, Lockport had defeated the Tigers. 

Joliet West has also knocked the Porters out of the Class 4A postseason the past two years, including a 25-18, 25-14 victory in the title match of the Oswego Sectional last year.

Lockport, which had defeated the Tigers in the summer semifinals last year, placed third. Joliet West lost to an excellent Lincoln-Way East team 25-18, 25-23 in the summer league title match. It was the second straight Velocity Summer League title for the Griffins. 

Although they lost the title match, the Tigers still got here and showed that they should be a force again this season. 

There was one more competition though before the team finished off the summer sessions with a final couple of days of camp. That took place on Monday, July 29 when Joliet West hosted Bolingbrook, Plainfield East, and Romeoville for a summer scrimmage quad. The Tigers went 3-0 against good teams that they will see in the Southwest Prairie Conference. 

"We host the quad to give our girls more opportunities to compete and have fun," Lincoln said. "It’s also nice to see area teams with some great competition."

Last fall, Joliet West finished 36-4, setting a new school and District 204 record for most wins in a season. Along the way, the Tigers won their first-ever Southwest Prairie Conference title (10-1) and also captured tournament titles in the Peggy Scholten Volleyball Classic at Fremd and at the Bradley-Bourbonnais Boilermaker Challenge.

This season's play will open on Wednesday, August 28 with a match at Homewood-Flossmoor. Followed by one the next day at Lincoln-Way Central. Both of those are slated for 6 PM starts. The home and SPC opener will be on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 5:30 PM against Romeoville in the main gym.