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And that's enough of that Skyhawks outlast Lake Zurich, break three-match losing streak By Plaindealer sports staff JOHNSBURG - A three-match losing streak Isn't something Sharal Johnson and her Johnsburg volley- bail squad is used to. The Skyhawks, loaded with talent and experience, had dropped tree consecutive -- to Round Lake, Grant and McHenry -- entering Tuesday night's Northwest Suburban Confer­ ence encounter against Lake Zurich. So, as unfamiliar with losing as they are, the Skyhawks turned things around with a hard-fought Win. , "We were good tonight," said a releived Johnson after tier group had outlasted the Bears, 10-15,15-13, 19-17 in the Johnsburg gym. "It was a real nailbiter," she con­ tinued. "Lake Zurich has one real kills to lead the JKS attack, white Butler <*h<pp*rf in four. Johnsburg and LZ battled throughout the second game, with the visitors grabbing a 1M lead, before JUS took over and grabbed the contest In the third nip-amMuck affair, the Skyhawks got a sideout at 17-all; and Oeffling quickly served the next two points for the match. "It was anybody's match at the end," Johnson said. "But it Just seemed like no one wanted to take charge of the match. Both teams were Just hitting it back easy, Just gettngitin. "We were playing very smart as far as attacking goes. We'd hit one real hard, and then dink the next one. It was the best attacking we've It was no one 's match at the end. But it Just seemed like to take charge of the match. Both teams were just hitting it back easy, Just getting It in. good attack player. They're basical­ ly a Short team, but very quick and with very good serves." The Skyhawks are 3-2 in the NWSC, 3-3 overall. "Obviously from the scores, the match could have gone either way. I guess the girls Just were tired of it,' Johnson said of the losing streak. Senior Laura Oeffling led the JHS serving attack, nailing six aces in the match. Senior Kelly Quinlan added three aces. "All of our setters, particularly Patty (BuUer), Arlet (Mann) and Terri (Hendershott) did a good Job tonight. It's set up so that the setters get the second ball, and they made good use of it tonight." Junior Cindy Swartzloff had seven done," Johnson said. !y, too," she'ifdded.̂ End oun?>ass- tng has been a Jot better than it's ever been." The Skyhawks had struggled with basic fundamentals in the losing skein, butUohnson said it looked like a different JHS squad against the Bears Tuesday night "I hope we've turned it around, 1 really do," Johnson said. "I'm opti­ mistic that we have. I know we've got the skill. We've got more skill than any team we've faced so far. We Just haven't channelled it In the right direction," Johnson said. The Skyhawks wiU attempt to break into a winning streak when they host Grayslake Thursday. Plaindealer photos by Sam Natrop Jill Jurik gets ready to unleash a serve. Jurik and her Johnsburg teammates got back onto the winning track Tuesday night with a dose win over Lake Zurich, improving to 3-2 in the Northwest Suburban Conference. The triumph snapped Na three-match losing streak. Johnsburg will host Grayslake in another NWSC dud Thursday. Wednesday, September 18,1SSS McHenry spikers fall By Plaindealer sports staff ALGONQUIN - It took a while, but the Jacobs volleyball team is finally starting to "put things together. The Golden Eagles increased their Fox Valley Conference record to 2-0 Tuesday night with an easy 15-7,15-8 victory over McHenry. The Warriors are 3-4 on the year, 0-2 in the FVC. The win lifted the Golden Eagles' overall record to a much healthier 6-4. "Ever since the Cary-Grove game, the girls have been playing inspired volleyball," said Jacobs head coach Melanie Meidel. The Warriors will next host un­ beaten Crystal Lake Central at West Campus Thursday afternoon. Rockets blast Vlkes, raise record to 6-1 MC netters improve, but Marengo wins By Plaindealer sports staff MARENGO -- There's one thing about Marian Central's tennis loss to Marengo that coach Tom Burg stressed: things are getting better. The Hurricanes got a victory at No. 2 singles from Michelle Martino, but it wasn't enough as Marengo topped MC, 4-1, in a Northwest Sub­ urban Conference meet Monday. "Michelle was really hitting the ball well. She played a fine match," Burg said of Martino's 7-6 (7-5 in the tiebreaker), 6-2 win over Sandi Boecker. "But we had a new girl in the lineup and we finally got our number one doubles team back to­ gether after two weeks, so now that we have our players back, we'll con­ centrate on the schedule ahead." At No. 1, Noel Mercure was stopptu Ann Richie, 6-1, 6-1 and at third singles, Megan Carney, the newest Hurricane netter, lost to Jen­ ny Ballengee, 6-0,6-1. The No. 1 Hurricane doubles team of Becky Adams and Toni Woodruff Get in there! Plaindealer photo by Sam Nfttrop Marian Central's Keith Schultz watches as his par putt goes wide of the cup on the first hole at Chapel Hfll Monday. The Hurricanes lost to Marengo, 177-185, in a Northwest Subur­ ban Conference outing. By Plaindealer sports staff RICHMOND - Ahhh. That heavy sigh you heard coming from near the Wisconsin border Tuesday night may have come from Richmond-Burton volleyball coach Jan Welch. Welch, you see, has bitten her fingernails and screamed at her team for the last handful of match­ es, which the Rockets have won -- but not convincingly. But Tuesday night, Welch got a breather. Richmond ripped North Boone in a Big Eight Conference no- brainer in Richmond, 15-4,15-5. "It was nice to get an 6asy one. I got to relax tonight," Welch said. "You need one of these every now and then. Not all the time, though. Ir you (day these all the time, you kind of lose your head, forget what you're doing. But this was a nice one. My voice needed a rest." The Rockets took advantage of the less-talented Vikings. "They have alot of problems," Wdch said. "We didn't anticipate we'd have too much of a battle against them. "Everybody played again. In fact, the second game we had a complete­ ly different team in there, and they didn't have any problems." Kelly Mathews led the Rocket with three kills, while Beth Indeli­ cate had two suffered a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Trina Wit- lief and Jody Kanaly. "Becky Just returned from her sprained ankle and it was the first time she and Trail have played in a couple weeks," Burg noted. "I'm looking for them to put it together real soon." The second doubles squad of Jen­ nifer Will and Traci Martino lost a tough three-set match. Will and Martino dropped the first set, 4-6, but rallied to win a tiebreaker, 8-6, and take the second set, 7-6. However, in the final set, Kanaly and Witlief came back for a 6-2 decision. "When they take the court, you can usually expect a three-setter or a tiebreaker of both," Burg Joked. "In our four matches, we've had four tiebreakers and two three-set matches. Michelle's was the first tiebreaker we've won so far, so we're hoping that's a sign of things to come." MC, now 0-2 jn the NWSC and 0-5 overall, will host Grayslake Wednesday. "We only had a couple spikes that we hit out," Wdch said. "Fourteen went for points." Kris Tassone served seven in the second game, and Nicki Covell also had seven serves in the match. "Everybody played well. The points, spikes and serves were all pretty well spread out," said Welch. The Rockets, now 4-1 in the BEC and 6-1 overall, witt play at Hamp­ shire Thursday. '1 don't look for them to be too good," Welch said of the Whip-purs. "They play a lot Of bump bail, like North Boone. North Boone only spiked 12 aU night," she said. Cathy Bolger 4th at Triathlon By Plaindealer News Service CHICAGO -- McHenry's Cathy Bolger finished fourth in her age group at the recent Chicago Bud Light Triathlon. Bolger, a McHenry County Col­ lege counselor and wellness afi­ cionado, finished strongly in the Chicago event, at which 2,400 athletes competed, making the triathlon the biggest in the world. The triathlon, the ultimate test of physical fitness, including a one-mile swim, 25-mile bike ride and6.2-miieruh. Bolger has taken first place in her age group three years in a row at the Crystal Lake Triathlon. In addition to her counseling duties at MCC, Bolger teaches wellness seminars as well as in­ structing a personal develop­ ment course on the subject.