By Randy Whalen

"I got to have faith, faith, faith."

The popular song from 1987 fits the Joliet West girls' volleyball team. That's because the Tigers have Faith. Literally.

After missing over half the season's matches with a sprained left ankle, senior Faith Jordan returned to the lineup last week, on Tuesday, September 23, in a home match against Plainfield East. That should only help the Tigers, who have already had an outstanding season and look to continue that down the homestretch. 

"That's my song," Jordan said of the song Faith by George Michael. "I got hurt at practice after our second match with a grade 2 sprain on my left ankle. 

"But I knew I could come back. Being on the sideline was tough, but it gave me a new perspective and a will to win. Everything happens for a reason. Coming back, I played on the right side. I know I have to take it steady and slow, but I have no doubt we can go to state."

The postseason is four weeks away, so the more immediate goal for the Tigers is to get back on top of the Southwest Prairie conference. After beating Plainfield East 25-13, 25-13, and following that up with a 25-12, 25-10 road win at Plainfield Central two days later, they are 3-0 in the conference. 

After not playing much in the Plainfield East match, registering a kill on her only attempt, Jordan played more against Plainfield Central. She had 5 kills in that match and, behind strong serving from sophomore outside Lexie Grevengoed (4 aces) and junior setter Julia Adams (3 aces), who had 5 aces against Plainfield East, Joliet West completely dominated.

"We kept to our pace of the game," Joliet West coach Chris Lincoln said. "Taking the opponent out of their game with a strong serve is big. 

"Of course, we're happy to have Faith back. She can take this opportunity to pick up where she left off, and it's exciting."

There was more excitement for the Tigers (24-3) last weekend. They hosted a quadrangular meet on Saturday, September 27, featuring Batavia, Moline, and a very strong Loyola Academy team. Joliet West won 25-15, 25-19 over Batavia, 25-16, 25-20 over Moline, and 25-15, 25-21 against Loyola. 

How big was the Loyola victory? Well, the Ramblers beat Batavia and Moline in three sets to go 2-1 in the quad. But they also handed visiting Mother McAuley (17-1) its only loss of the year, 25-20, 25-16 on Thursday, September 18. 

So while the Tigers lost 25-16, 25-23 to McAuley, which is ranked No. 1 in the state on MaxPreps, early in the season, on August 30, they feel they can match up with them and any other top team.

Especially with their local rival, Lockport Township. In the latest MaxPreps rankings, Joliet West is ranked No. 7 in the state, and Lockport (17-3) is No. 8. 

The two teams meet in the regular season every year, and two years ago, they played each other for the sectional championship. 

That will be favored to happen again this season as the Tigers will host their own Class 4A sectional with Lockport also assigned to be in it.

But Joliet West got a one-up on the Porters and likely will be the No. 1 seed in the sectional, based on a 14-25, 25-22, 25-16 win on Wednesday evening, September 17, over host Lockport in a battle between local powers.

"It was indescribable what the shift was," Joliet West senior right side hitter/setter, Lina Govoni said after the match. "It was a momentum issue. We had to turn it all around. In the second and third sets, we knew we were going to win. We just had to put up our block and terminate the ball."

The Tigers, who are No. 4 in the Illinois Prep Volleyball Class 4A state rankings, got aggressive in all facets.

"Lockport was very clean, and their setter did a great job in the first set," Joliet West coach Chris Lincoln said. "But we started to serve aggressively, and we forced them to make mistakes. If we stay true to our serve, we can make even very good teams make mistakes."

Trailing 11-9 in the second set, Joliet West scored three straight points to take its first lead of the match at 12-11 on a kill by sophomore outside hitter Na'Riah Autman (6 kills). But the Porters, who are ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, came back with a pair of points to regain the lead. Although there were ties at 13, 15, 18, and 19, it looked as if that might have been the Tigers' only lead. 

But, thanks to a plethora of Porter errors, it wasn't. Lockport made four straight bad hits, and the Tigers took a 23-20 advantage. A kill by junior right side hitter Hutsyn Timosciek, who had a career-high 16 kills and added three aces, brought the Porters within 23-22. But a tip kill and an ace from Govoni (9 kills, 8 assists, 3 kills) polished off the second set. 

Grevengoed (10 kills, 11digs, 2 aces), senior middle hitter Mady Gant (5 kills, 2 blocks), and senior libero Eden Eyassu (9 digs) also contributed for the Tigers. 

So did junior setter, Julia Adams (23 assists, 4 digs, 3 aces), who opened the third set with a pair of aces as Joliet West scored the first three points. 

"It was great," Adams said of the start to the third set. "We had to gain our momentum and play well as a team. Between sets, the coaches gave us advice, and we utilized it. 

"This was great and gave us a lot of confidence, especially in how we can play as a team. We know no matter what, that we can lean on each other and talk it over."

A kill from senior outside hitter Bridget Ferriter (12 kills, 10 digs) made it 3-1. Then the Tigers went on a 7-0 blitz, as Govoni garnered a trio of kills, Grevengoed served an ace, and Autman and junior middle hitter Penny Wagner added kills for a 10-1 lead.

Lockport used a 5-0 spurt to close within 17-12, but never got closer than five the rest of the way. A block by Gant ended it.

Junior setter Natalie Bochantin, who is nearing 1,000 career assists, added 37 to her total. She also had 11 digs and registered Lockport's only block of the match. Junior outside hitter Malia Cole (6 kills), junior libero Emma Consigny (12 digs), and senior middle blocker Sara McGraw (3 kills) also contributed for the Porters.

"We have to finish that second set," Lockport coach Nick Mraz said. "We came out with a whimper and were sloppy in the third set. We played really clean in the first set, but we knew Joliet West would wake up. We didn't play clean to finish."

The first set was all Porters as they scored the first two points and had leads of 7-2, 15-7, and eventually 21-9. Ferriter and Timosciek each had five kills in the opener.

"In the first set we had so much energy," Timosciek said. "But in the third set we got down 10-1 and we tried to do too much without doing what we're supposed to do."

The Tigers look forward to doing what they'd like to do, getting back on top of the Southwest Prairie Conference after finishing second last season.

"We knew coming in, we were neck and neck with Lockport in the rankings," Govoni said. "We are looking forward to our conference and don't talk about the postseason until it's here. Still, to get this one under our belt means we will be floating on this for a while."