Every season brings a new adventure, but this one is different in a pretty personal way for Providence’s Delaney Purtill.
It’s the first time the junior setter hasn’t been able to play alongside or get on-court advice from her older sister.
Grace Purtill was a four-year varsity regular for the Celtics. A middle hitter, she had to sit out her senior season with an ACL injury, but she’s now a student at Kentucky.
“I always had her with me,” Purtill said. “I miss her a lot. It’s definitely different. I’ve had to adjust quite a bit, but I’m finding my way and still having a lot of fun.”
Purtill is one of the big reasons Providence has one of the best early season records in the Southland.
She was a steady leader on the court Wednesday night for the Celtics in a 25-23, 17-25, 25-17 nonconference victory over host Andrew in Tinley Park.
Abbey Knight paced Providence (7-1) with 11 kills. Cali Tierney added 10 kills, while Purtill had 11 assists, Demi Carbone contributed 13 assists and Grace Lustig made three blocks.
Kodi Campbell led Andrew (2-5) with 14 kills. Ella O’Neill added eight kills and Cara Pluhar chipped in with six assists.
For the season, Purtill has 82 assists, 10 aces and 31 digs. She has developed quite a connection with her two main hitters, Knight and Tierney.
“It’s great,” Purtill said. “I’ve known Abbey all my life. I went to grade school with her and set for her on the grade school team.
“It’s been fantastic growing with both Abbey and Cali. I’ve known Cali since sixth or seventh grade as well, so I’ve had relationships with both of them. It’s fun to have all of this varsity experience together.”
Purtill found various ways to get Knight the ball Wednesday against Andrew. Knight found one big way to get her to blush afterward.
It only took a handful of words.
“I believe Delaney is one of the best girls I’ve ever played with,” Knight said. “I really appreciate having her on the team. I know when the ball is coming over, even if I don’t get the block, that we have a good defender in the back to get the ball up every time.”
The blush was quite noticeable.
“It makes me very happy to hear that,” Purtill said, laughing. “I love Abbey. I truly do.”
Purtill was one of four freshmen who made the varsity in 2022. She played behind senior setter Kylie Williams.
“It was great,” Purtill said. “She showed us the way. She introduced us to everything new and we found our way really quick.
“Everybody was so inviting to us, and it was a lot of fun how they would include all of us (freshmen) in things.”
Purtill didn’t play a ton, but she did get in enough time to set her sister. It was during club that Grace suffered her career-ending injury. It didn’t stop her, however, from being on the bench as a senior for Providence.
“Grace would always cheer me on, always help me before and after games,” Purtill said. “She’d always give me advice on things she saw. She was definitely sad she couldn’t be on the court, but she helped us along the way.
“I still call her all the time. We talk about life, volleyball, school, all that fun stuff.”
When things get unsettled during a match, Providence coach Lee Rucinski knows who to call.
“You want to talk about that kid you need on the team that’s steady Eddie, a calming influence, that’s Delaney,” Rucinski said. “Even if she isn’t having a great match, she doesn’t show it.
“She’s that kid who will control the team, read the ebbs and flows from the girls who need to play with emotion and wrangle them back in to make sure we’re doing what we’re doing.
“She takes care of business.”
Tony Baranek is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
