Emotions were running high for Lincoln-Way Central’s Penny Smith.
The junior right-side hitter had a hard time Wednesday on senior night getting through a pregame speech about Elena Chambers. With microphone in hand, Smith couldn’t keep her composure and sobbed during the testimony.
“She’s been one of my best friends as long as I could remember,” Smith said of Chambers, a senior hitter. “For sure, I knew I was going to cry because I’m such an emotional person.
“Once I see someone cry, I always cry, too. She’s always been there for me when I’m crying, of course. She always makes me laugh and is a great person.”
Speaking of laughter, Smith displayed plenty of humor during an oddball, momentum-changing kill in the second game of a 25-14, 25-21 nonconference victory over Richards in New Lenox.
Down 15-10, the Knights picked up an “oops” point after Smith crashed into junior setter Kaitlyn Hedrich and the ball was ready to hit the floor.
“We just kind of got caught up there and I just stuck my arm out to try to save it,” Smith said.
The ball fell over on Richards’ side of the net, dropping for the point that ignited a 10-3 run.
Morgan Kozlowski led Lincoln-Way Central (17-18) with five kills. Callie Jukovich added seven aces, while Smith had two kills, a solo block and two block assists. Freshman outside hitter Mya Donnelly contributed three kills in the second game and Hedrich finished with two aces.
The two teams were deadlocked in kills with 16 each, but junior outside hitter Mia Albon paced Richards (15-12) with nine kills and Peyton Craan added four.
Smith, meanwhile, is becoming a dependable hitter in the Knights’ offense.
“She’s an offensive weapon and can throw the other team off,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Mary Brown said of Smith. “She can take a bad set or a tough ball and make it better.”
Smith said that dedicating herself to playing beach volleyball has had its advantages inside on the court, and Brown has noticed her improvement because of that facet.
“It helps her look for holes better,” Brown said. “She sees the court well.”
Smith got involved with Progression Beach Volleyball, a Darien-based club, traveling the country with the team. However, a national tournament in California turned out to be a disappointment.
“It was my first national tournament, and my partner sprained her ankle and we couldn’t play,” Smith said. “She hurt it before we left, and she didn’t know how bad it was until we got there.
“We played one set, and she just couldn’t do it. It was rough. But it was also cool because we got to explore some colleges.”
Jukovich, a senior who is giving up competitive volleyball after this season, put on a serving show Wednesday, including four aces in a row to close the first game.
“In practice, it’s to the wall or it’s a dime,” she said. “You just never know. But in games, I go up there and take my time because I can get nervous. I take my breath and look at my coach and look at what zone she wants me to serve in and just put it right there.
“It’s not that easy. I had a couple of games where it was miss after miss.”
She also said she will miss volleyball and the friends she has made, including Smith.
“I love her — she is literally the sweetest person ever,” Jukovich said of Smith. “She can do it all. She can serve receive, she can pass and she can hit. Beach has helped her so much with that.
“It’s harder than it looks, and I applaud her for that. I could never do that.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
