NEPKIN CLEANS UP
After a long delay due to reconstructive knee surgery, sophomore breaks out for Lincoln-Way East
It was a long wait in Illinois for all girls volleyball players to return to the court.
But few waited as long as Lincoln-Way East sophomore Ava Nepkin.
Nepkin, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, missed her entire freshman season due to a knee injury.
The rehab was daunting. The frustration, taunting.
“During practices last year, while they were in the gym, I would be in the weight room working out to strengthen my leg,” Nepkin said. “Then I’d come back out and keep score during practice.
“It was hard, but it was still fun to be a part of the team.”
Now, Nepkin is one of the leaders for the Griffins (4-0).
In Tuesday’s 25-17, 25-18 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais, Nepkin had six kills and four digs. She earned eight kills Thursday as Lincoln-Way East defeated Stagg 25-15, 25-17.
She’s rapidly becoming one of senior setter Ava Porada’s favorite targets.
“She goes to my club, so I see her a lot,” Porada said of Nepkin. “I’ve seen her grow, from when she was younger, tall and awkward. But now she’s grown into her body, and she’s a really good player.”
In eighth grade, Nepkin was competing with her Hickory Creek Middle School team in the state semifinals when adversity struck.
“I got set really tight,” Nepkin said. “I went up and I landed on my left foot. A girl stepped on my foot and my leg bent the wrong way.”
The torn ACL and meniscus resulted in complete reconstructive surgery of her left knee. A year of recovery was followed up by more delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“At first, it was really rough,” Nepkin said. “We started doing mini-open gyms in the summer before we actually could have our season. Then everybody got taken out because of COVID. But I eventually started getting back into it and working out more.”
When Nepkin hits, the ball travels fast. In Thursday’s match against Stagg, her first four hits went for kills. Two caromed off blocks and two went straight to the floor.
It’s a sight Lincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore is getting used to seeing.
“She’s pretty high percentage,” Fiore said. “Ava has a heavy arm, and she’s getting more and more consistent every day from playing volleyball again.
“She was really dedicated during her time coming back from a serious injury. She was with us every day. Most of the time she was helping us chip in balls at practice, or being with the trainer working on her knee. We’re happy that she’s made a full recovery. She’s a great asset to the team.”
Double determination: During the week before the start of the season, Andrew coach Emily Connolly tried to give junior multisport athlete Katie DeHaan a break.
At the time, DeHaan still had two basketball games left to play.
“I told her, ‘You know what? Focus on basketball on game day,’ ” Connolly said. “I told her to just come to volleyball practice on the days she only had basketball practice.
“Well, she ended up showing up for practice at 6 a.m. the day she had a game. She was like, ‘Coach, I know I have a basketball game later, but I wanted to be here.’ ”
DeHaan, who was the top scorer for the basketball team, also sets the tone on the volleyball court.
In last Tuesday’s 14-25, 25-22, 25-22 upset over Sandburg, DeHaan had 34 assists, 20 digs, six kills and three aces. Colleen Cleary added 11 kills and 14 digs, while Brooke Haggerty added 24 digs for the Thunderbolts (2-2).
DeHaan also competes in the shot put for the track team.
“She is rare kid,” Connolly said. “She is one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached. I come from the South Side of Chicago, where I feel that girls in general are pretty tough and gritty. She fits right into that profile.
“She is one of the most hardworking, go-getter kids I have ever coached or will ever coach.”
Did you know? Sandburg’s Sarah Kwaisgroch is the state’s all-time leader for single season and career assists. She had 3,659 in her career from 2001 to 2004, including 1,204 in 2001.