Must Watch Matches for Chicagoland High School Volleyball: Week 5

It's a big week for high school volleyball and there are many matches you're going to want to watch. As we hit mid-season, some schools on top are beginning to drop games that we wouldn't have thought, but that just means others are getting into the rhythm at the best part of the season. Here are the top three matches going on this week, and their standout athletes you won't want to miss in week 5 of Chicagoland High School Volleyball:   Match 1: Huntley vs. Barrington Tues. 9/21 at 6:00 pm   Huntley High School and Barrington's match-up tonight will surely be one you won't want to miss. Last week we went in-depth with the lineup that Barrington brings to the table, but their match tonight against Huntley High School will be a competitive match with the athletic and experienced players they'll see through the net. Both teams tonight have had a flawless season thus far, with undefeated records. Huntley's 9-0 record places them 7th in the state right now, only 3 below the #4 ranked Barrington. [player_tooltip player_id='207810' first='Georgia' last='Watson'], a 6'3" middle blocker for Huntley is dominant along the front row with the heavy and aggressive arm swing. Only as a sophomore, Watson's approach touch is 10'1" making any swing she contacts at that height a hard ball to defend as both a blocker and backcourt defender. She tracks the ball exceptionally well, helping her be an offensive threat in each rally. [player_tooltip player_id='135959' first='Morgan' last='Jones'], a 6ft outside hitter is a great 6-rotation player for Huntley, as she is an option for offense in the back row as well as the front row. Morgan is another offensive wall for Huntley that is a part of the 10ft club with her high approach jump. The University of Miami commit, [player_tooltip player_id='225754' first='Avary' last='DeBlieck'] is a middle hitter whose power and IQ will blow through some big blocks she is up against, which is why it'll be exciting to watch her against Barringtons front row tonight.   Match 2: Glenbrook South vs. New Trier Wed. 9/21 at 6:00 pm   New Trier and Glenbrook South will be an interesting match to see the lineups across the net from each other. Both teams have great height along the front row, but [player_tooltip player_id='226006' first='Lindsay' last='Umlauf'] generates the tallest court presence with her 6'5" stature. While you can't miss her on the court because of her physical presence, her aggressive front-row defense helps her set the tone in the front row with her fast arm swing and the height she contacts the ball. Whether it's off-speed or an aggressive quick swing, she can get on the ball fast beating any block and defenders who are caught still moving. Calia Cremascoli has filled some big shoes this season for New Trier, as a freshman playing up with some experienced and skilled athletes. She has both experiences as a middle blocker and a right-side hitter, broadening her versatility in the front row. She is always demanding the ball and playing more experienced than a freshman normally would. [player_tooltip player_id='135962' first='Ava' last='Pratt'], a junior outside hitter for Glenbrook South, will be a huge piece of their offensive success tonight. She leads the team in kills per set on the season so far, contributing an average of 4.1 kills each set she plays. Her fast arm swing can be credited to this offensive production as it finished through any block that isn't quick to close and press on her side of the net.   Match 3: Benet Academy vs. Glenbard West High School Thurs. 9/22 at 5:30 pm   For Benet and Glenbard West, this won't be the first time they are seeing each other this season. During the first week of play, both teams played a tough match at the Wheaton North Blue and Gold Invite. The match went to three with the final score of the third set being 25-17 in Benet's favor. Tomorrow's match-up will be on Glenbard West's home court, giving them the perfect opportunity to pull the odds in their favor this time around. I would expect [player_tooltip player_id='225830' first='Demi' last='Carpio'], a senior libero for Glenbard West to carry the weight in the backcourt with her consistent serve receive and aggressive defensive moves. She has great technique to back up her well-experienced angles on serve to receive making her range of court covered bigger than it was when they first played Benet. On the other side of the net, [player_tooltip player_id='198412' first='Christine' last='Pullen'] is a junior DS for Benet who builds on their already well-established serve receive passers. She is disciplined with her platform whether her feet are there or not. Not only does she get the job done on serve receive, but her will to keep the ball off the ground in a long rally is also what helps Benet win huge momentum points. Both team's offenses will be fun to see up against each other with [player_tooltip player_id='135948' first='Marin' last='Johnson'], a junior outside hitter for Glenbard West-leading their offensive production with her whip of an arm swing and the power she puts behind the ball. It has been just about a month since they have played each other at the Wheaton North invite, so it will be exciting to see how far each program has come since the beginning of the season.

It's a big week for high school volleyball and there are many matches you're going to want to watch. As we hit mid-season, some schools on top are beginning to drop games that we wouldn't have thought, but that just means others are getting into the rhythm at the best part of the season. Here are the top three matches going on this week, and their standout athletes you won't want to miss in week 5 of Chicagoland High School Volleyball: