Girls Volleyball playoffs
Steady as she goes
Sophomore Kane stays calm running Mighty Macs' offense
Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld had to admit it.
She was waiting for Nancy Kane to crack.
It's kind of a natural feeling when you have a sophomore take the reins of one of the nation's most sophisticated and fast-paced offenses.
“The setter is like the quarterback of a football team,” DeJarld said. “You're making calls, you're making decisions, you have to be able to talk to the older (players) and dictate what's going on.
“Can a sophomore handle that? I kind of waited all season for the bubble to burst, wondering when it was going to be too much.”
The answer? Never.
Kane has been a leader in every sense of the word as the Mighty Macs seek their 15th state title this weekend at Redbird Arena in Normal.
Ranked No. 1 in the nation, McAuley (38-1) will meet Niles West (28-8) at 8:30 p.m. Friday in the second Class 4A semifinal. Minooka (34-6) and Stevenson (32-7) are the other semifinalists.
Beyond a whopping 933 assists, the 5-foot-11 Kane is also one of the team's leading blockers (46), has contributed 261 digs and leads the way with 39 aces.
She showed her toughness right out of the gate in the season opener against Joliet Catholic.
“They have a pretty raucous crowd,” DeJarld said. “A lot of boys were screaming at her when she was serving. And she just nailed her serves.
“When they were on her in the Marist (Sectional final) match, in front of 2,000 people, she kept her poise. So she came in with just a sense of maturity, and honestly, she has been the cog to make all of this happen.”
Through it all, Kane has kept a modest demeanor, sharing compliments in the same manner as she hands out assists.
“It's amazing, but I couldn't do it without my teammates,” Kane said. “They are always there for me to help me through the tough times. They trust me, which helped a lot.
“I just try to do my best and keep working hard. I was more excited than nervous at the start of the season. I wanted to get started and see where we could go with it.”
Kane took over the setting duties from Jane DeJarld, who earned all-area honors and is now playing at Boston College.
According to junior outside hitter and Notre Dame recruit Charley Niego, it was a seamless transition.
“Coming in Nancy had some really big shoes to fill,” Niego said. “She has done a very good job at filling those shoes.
“You can't even tell that Nancy is a younger player. Just the way she plays, she's really composed on the court. She has taken a really big step from last season.”
Having guided the Mighty Macs down a brutal playoff road that included Sandburg, Marist and Geneva, Kane and Niego are ready to lead the Mighty Macs against Niles West.
The Wolves have a powerful outside hitting combo of senior Kaila Johanson (342 kills) and sophomore Natalia Pehar (353 kills).
But at 5-8 and 5-10, respectively, they will have their hands full with McAuley's taller front line.
It will be the first state appearance for Niles West. McAuley, meanwhile, will ride its No. 1 national ranking to Normal.
“Definitely, playing in nationwide tournaments has really prepared us,” Niego said. “I know that playing in the toughest supersectional has really prepared us for the state playoffs.
“I'm really excited. It will be my first time as a player. It's a really big stage, and it just seems really fun to play in that environment. I can't wait for it.”
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