Northwestern recruit Bella Bullington has been the mentor of Marist sophomore Taylor Berg for a long time.
“I shadowed Bella when I was in seventh and eighth grade,” Berg said. “Even then, she was very nice.”
In the early going this season, Bullington has been recovering from a minor injury while helping Berg grow at outside hitter. And, boy, have the results been there.
The 5-foot-10 Berg was a difference maker at the most crucial time Tuesday night for Marist in a 25-16, 19-25, 25-22 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory over host Joliet Catholic.
Savanah Weathers had 11 kills for the RedHawks (10-1, 2-0). Berg added eight kills, 10 digs and eight service points, while Cassidy Cage put down six kills, Maddie Berry contributed 25 assists and Elayna Davidson made 12 digs.
Ellie Blotnik tallied nine kills and nine digs for Joliet Catholic (5-5, 1-1). Heavenly Sarfo added seven kills, while Brooke Simon chipped in with six kills and two blocks and Olivia Emerson had 13 assists and 10 digs.
Berg’s biggest contribution Tuesday came late in the third game.
Marist was trailing 17-16 and Berg was on the bench. She had been taken out a few rallies earlier for the only time in the match. When Vidovic sent her back in, she responded with a kill for a side out that tied the game.
After the kill, Berg went to the service line and produced four consecutive points, two of which came on a kill and a block by Maggie Kurpeikis. It turned the tide Marist’s way for good.
“I was ready to go back in,” Berg said, smiling. “I was ready to put the ball down and help us out.”
There was no doubt this summer that Marist coach Jordan Vidovic was going to bring Berg up to the varsity, and he had her penciled in as a contributor. When it became apparent Bullington was going to need a few weeks to recuperate, the game plan changed.
First, there was the need for Berg to have an increased role.
“Taylor is fiery competitive,” Vidovic said. “She’s definitely an athlete. And she wants challenges. She’s constantly asking questions at practice. She’s constantly trying to work on her game.”
Many of those questions were answered by Bullington.
“They have meshed very well together,” Vidovic said. “Bella has been limited in practice, but she has taken what she can do and put it into mentoring multiple players, but especially Taylor.
“They have their own reps together, and she’s teaching her some drills she does in her offseason.”
The faith was there on both sides.
“Oh, it’s always been there from day one,” Bullington said. “Even watching Taylor last year on JV, she was the player you give the ball to, to put the ball down. They trusted her then, and we trust her now.
“When I was going to be out, I was sad about it for myself, but I wasn’t worried about it for the team. We have so much depth, and I knew that she would take any slack and run with it.”
Berg started the season by earning all-tournament honors at Plainfield North. In a 25-14, 25-15 victory Sept. 11 over Lake Central from Indiana, she had a team-high seven kills. For the season, she has 62 kills, 51 digs and seven aces.
That connection between Bulllington and Berg? It’s real.
During the second game against Joliet Catholic, Berg hit a ball that sailed past the back line for an error. During a subsequent timeout, she and Bullington were off to the side talking while Vidovic spoke to the rest of the team.
“She was just telling me to not think about the block and go up and swing,” Berg said. “She told me to be confident in myself, that I am able to put the ball down.”
The very next rally, Berg took a set and sent a rocket to the back line. It landed just inside for a kill.
Good job, coach Bella.
Tony Baranek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
