Lady Apaches Fall in Championship Match
By Holli L. Rapp
The Lady Apache volleyball team finished the 1998 season with a 23-15 overall and 5-4 conference record.
The last loss for the Lady Apaches came in the Division III regional tournament, hosted by College of Lake County in Grayslake, in a finals match with College of DuPage 10-15, 17-15,6-15,6-15. A win would have advanced the team to the nationals which were held in Toledo, Ohio this past weekend.
Sarah Riebe, a 6-foot sophomore, and fellow sophomore Jodi Carrico, who stands just 5’2, each had 14 kills for the Lady Apaches while Riebe also had 4 blocks. Carrico dug 32 balls and Leslie Urnikis helped out with 28 digs for the Lady Apaches.
The other sophomore on the Lady Apache squad, Amanda Anderson, dished out 24 assists in the championship match.
Prior to the match up, the head coach for the Lady Apaches said that both earlier matches had been "anyone’s game."
Carrico and Riebe were named to the All Tournament Team for their efforts. Riebe was also named to the All-Region Team and the All-Conference First Team. Anderson was named to the All-Conference Second Team and Urnikis earned an Honorable Mention.
"They have had a great season and played very well against the Division I schools," said head coach Kirsten McLendon. McLendon’s squad faced teams such as McHenry and Kankakee, which were both in the final match in the Division I tournament also at College of Lake County.
To make it to the championship match, the Lady Apaches defeated Joliet 15-6,15-11,15-7 behind 16 kills by Riebe and eight kills by Urnikis. Riebe also had 4 blocks, and Urnikis led the Lady Apaches in digs with 15. Carrico followed closely behind in digs with 13.
The Lady Apaches received a bye in the first round after being seeded second behind College of DuPage and did not have to face a team on the Tuesday prior to the finals.
On Nov. 2, IVCC had its last regular season match and recognized the parents and players at the IVCC gym. The Lady Apaches defeated Lincoln College 15-5.15-8,15-11 behind 11 kills from Urnikis, Riebe with 8 and freshman outside hitter Tara Kline with 6. Carrico had 21 digs for the Lady Apaches as Riebe had 14. Anderson had 10 digs and 24 assists.
The Lady Apaches will lose four of their members in Anderson, Carrico, Riebe, and Urnikis. Urnikis, academically a sophomore, could play one more year because she did not play her first year at IVCC, if she so chooses. The other three members of the team, Kaps, Kline, and 5’11 Desiree’ Newman. are freshmen.
With only having seven members on the team this season, injuries were a problem. Freshman Abby Stella suffered a torn ACL, which was season ending, and other team members had various injuries.
11/19/98 the Apache