The number of mistakes the Bloomington High School volleyball team can afford shrank dramatically Wednesday with the news 6-foot-2 sophomore Kasey Heckelman will miss the rest of the season with a back injury.

"That changes everything," said Coach Joe Sanders, whose team is off to a sizzling 16-0 start. "With Kasey, I think we can dominate most teams we play. Without her, we're going to have to play real solid volleyball."

Heckelman, who was averaging 2.1 kills per game, had battled back problems for some time, but her physician determined last Saturday was the final day she could play. It's hoped she can return to club volleyball action in December.

"We're going to have to mix it up a little bit," said Sanders, who will move two or three players to accommodate Heckelman's absence. "I couldn't just move one person into her spot. The other kids are going to have to step up."

The Purple Raiders occupy a share of the top spot in the Big 12 Conference at 2-0. They are on pace to break the BHS record of 29 wins in a season set in 1998 and tied in 2001 and 2005.

Leading the way is 5-foot-11 junior Ashley Beyer, who averages 3.8 kills per game. Another top hitter is 6-2 Illinois-Chicago basketball recruit Kristin Petrinec (3.3 kills). Getting them the ball is setter Kristin Stauter, who averages 10.4 assists per game.

"Ashley is playing tremendously," Sanders said. "She puts everything she has into her approach (to jump). Not every kid does that."

A team weakness may be over aggressiveness on kill attempts and serves, but that fault is better than being too timid.

"It's definitely better," Sanders said.

After hosting Urbana tonight, the Raiders head to the 27th annual Intercity Tournament Saturday at Normal Community where they open with Normal West at 8:30 a.m.

The Raiders' only Intercity title came in 2004. University High and NCHS shared the crown a year ago.

NCHS surprising coach

Coach Andrea Kenny is pleasantly surprised her squad has opened 8-1 prior to tonight's home match with Mattoon. The lone loss came against LaGrange Lyons.

"I'm really happy with our focus and intensity," Kenny said. "I think this is one of the better defensive teams we've had in awhile."

That is saying something considering NCHS has made five consecutive Elite Eight appearances.

"They really take pride in their defense," Kenny said. "They look to improve every day in practice defensively. I'm looking forward to where we could be by the end of the season."

The Ironmen, 2-0 in the Big 12, are led by Tulsa-recruit Hannah Stout (2.8 kills per game) and Auburn-bound Nicki Gerig (6.9 assists, 1.4 digs, 2.2 service points).

"Hannah has been doing great," Kenny said. "If we give her a good set, nine out of 10 times she will put the ball down. She's been our go-to person. She is playing with a lot of confidence.

"Nicki has done well spreading out our offense. She gives all our hitters a good chance to hit."

The team's top passers are sophomore Jenny Menendez (3.1 digs per game), junior Rachel Feldman (2.5) and freshman Mary Trimpe (2.2).

U High atop Corn Belt

DePaul-recruit Kyndell Highland (3.1 kills per game) has sparked the Pioneers to a 7-3 overall record and a 4-0 Corn Belt Conference mark.

"She is making her presence known on the court," said Coach Cathy Sanders. "She is really becoming a good leader."

Highland and senior libero Kyla Yeagle lead the team in digs.

Wayward serving leads the list of things Sanders hopes to erase. She watched her team miss seven serves in the second game of Tuesday's victory over Prairie Central.

"Not only did we give them the points, but we lost our scoring opportunities," she said. "So going into this weekend we can't afford to do that against the Intercity teams because we'll lose for sure then."

U High, which hosts Mahomet-Seymour tonight, is getting one block per game from 6-0 junior middle hitter Tanya Ploense.

"She is doing well for us defensively with her blocking, but also offensively she is really starting to connect with the setters," Sanders said.

"I think that is something the other Intercity teams haven't seen: us really connecting in the middle. We're not getting the kills we should be, but I think we could."

Sanders splits the setting chores between sophomore Taylor Bruns and freshman Maggie Bee.

"Taylor leads us in assists, but Maggie is close behind," Sanders said. "They are really close (in assists) most of the time. That says a lot, not just about them, but also our hitters. We've got some good hitters all the way around who can put the ball down."

Central up and down

Central Catholic's season has been a roller-coaster highlighted by an impressive 25-22, 25-20 home win over powerful Mahomet-Seymour.

The Saints (9-6, 3-1) enter today's home match with Pontiac coming off a loss at Olympia Tuesday.

"We're a really talented volleyball team and we're just a little inconsistent right now," said first-year Coach Emily Kabbes. "We're trying to figure out the right combination.

"I know we can be a good volleyball team because I saw that against Mahomet. So we're just waiting to see that on a consistent basis through 25 points."

Kabbes has been impressed by her team's offense while serving, but the Saints' serve receive has been spotty.

"We just need to side-out and stop the other team after a point or two," she said.

Kabbes applauds the back-row play of junior libero Nicole Henson.

"I've been very pleasantly surprised with her," Kabbes said. "She has stepped up and kind of taken over our back-court."

Kabbes rates her team's setting situation as "competitive" with Stephanie Lamb, Megan Guarienti and Kristyn Mysker all battling for playing time.

Their go-to hitter is 6-1 junior middle hitter Megan Schmidt.

"We ask a lot of Megan and she does a nice job," Kabbes said. "She's a good leader on the court."

Shelby Wheeler, a 5-9 sophomore, started the season in the middle, but has become the team's No. 2 hitter on the outside.

"She jumps really well and she's real athletic," Kabbes said. "I've seen some nice things from her."

New offense aids West

Normal West's 8-6 start (2-1 in the Big 12) has shown the Wildcats that spirited back row play can only take you so far so they have switched from a two-setter offense to a 5-1 alignment with freshman Jenn Harr running the show at setter.

"Jenn Harr has really come into the role," said Coach Maggie Erlenbaugh, who believes Harr's club volleyball experience has her playing at a level far above that of most 14-year-olds.

"She is relentless as she goes after every ball until body parts are laying on the ground. She stays after practice because she wants to continue to work on setting."

Harr averages almost six assists per game thanks to the passing of senior libero Liz Heineman, who averages a Pantagraph-area leading 6.3 digs per game.

Helping polish things off at the net are senior Lisa Wagoner and junior Trish Waibel. Roaming the middle are 5-10 freshman Alli Stover and 5-11 junior Laura Wilcox.

When Waibel rotates back, Kelsey Detweiler replaces her.

"Together they are an outstanding player," said Erlenbaugh, who calls the Intercity Tournament a toss-up. "We all have winning seasons. We all have top-notch athletes.

"They all train nine months together as (club) teammates. To now face each other at net is fun. I feel any of the teams can rise up. I think Intercity has the top five teams around."

The Wildcats warm up for the Intercity Tournament with a home match tonight with Chatham Glenwood.

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INTERCITY TOURNAMENT

AT NORMAL COMMUNITY

PAIRINGS

SATURDAY

8:30 a.m. - Bloomington vs. Normal West

8:30 a.m. - University High vs. Normal Community*

10 a.m. - Central Catholic vs. Normal Community

10 a.m. - Bloomington vs. University High*

11:30 a.m. - Normal West vs. University High

11:30 a.m. - Central Catholic vs. Bloomington*

1 p.m. - Normal Community vs. Bloomington

1 p.m. - Normal West vs. Central Catholic*

2:30 p.m. - University High vs. Central Catholic

2:30 p.m. - Normal Community vs. Normal West*

* - in West Gym. All other matches in East Gym.