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West Aurora's Carlini takes team to new heights

Lauren Carlini was literally halfway around the world when the West Aurora school year began in mid-August.

But the junior was not exactly playing hooky: Carlini was one of 12 American girls playing at the International U18 Volleyball Championships in Turkey.

After hard-fought losses to China and Serbia in pool play, the US team swept its consolation bracket to finish ninth overall.

“It was an experience which changed who she was,” West Aurora coach Kari Nicholson said.

Two months later, Carlini was the heart and soul of the Blackhawks' program that accomplished a first last week in Lombard with its dismantling of Glenbard East: a DuPage Valley Conference championship in girls volleyball.

For her remarkable versatility on the volleyball court, either as a blistering right-side hitter on offense, a wily setter or a fearsome jump-server, the 6-foot-2 Carlini, who orally committed to Wisconsin her freshman year, has been selected as the captain for the Daily Herald Tri-Cities All-Area Girls Volleyball Team.

Carlini joins former St. Charles East star Laura Homann (2007-08) as the only two-time recipient of the honor.

“(Carlini) will give anyone a run for their money for player of the year in the state,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Bill Schreier said last month. “It's nice and refreshing to see someone continue to work on weaknesses. She is one step away from being a shut-down defender. She will get there.”

In the Blackhawks' 36 matches during the regular season, Carlini recorded 173 kills, 243 assists, 167 digs, 55 blocks and 35 aces.

West Aurora (24-12), which shared the conference title with Naperville North, is the eighth seed of its own sectional.

To a person on the West Aurora team, Carlini is the model teammate, no matter how much attention she has received at the national level.

“Lauren is an excellent teammate,” Nicholson said. “She doesn't get enough credit for that.”

“I'm not going to lie: I get intimidated a lot by her,” West Aurora senior Kelsey Richmond said of teaming with a player with an international pedigree. “She does make a lot of us better.”

“Lauren is a great team player, giving us advice and picking us up when we're down,” said West Aurora senior Lauren Wilson.

Against Glenbard East in the regular-season finale, Carlini showcased her considerable athleticism against the Rams with a 7-point service run.

The one-sided win over Glenbard East earned West Aurora its first league championship since winning the title of the 1994 Upstate Eight Conference.

In addition to her 3 aces, Carlini added a pair of assists in the Blackhawks' 6-2 offense during the spurt.

“We always have Lauren for someone to count on,” said West Aurora senior Lexi McKenzie. “It's amazing. It helps us out a lot.”

Carlini is totally committed to the sport.

“I play normally 11 months a year,” Carlini said. “I started playing club volleyball when I was 5.”

Nicholson was well-aware she had a potentially program-altering athlete entering the pipeline.

“We knew about Lauren before she came here,” said Nicholson. “She was definitely mature enough to handle the pressure.”

Like countless other athletes from the Midwest, Carlini dreamed of playing in the Big Ten at the next level.

“It was an easy choice,' Carlini said of her early commitment to Wisconsin. “It was my first choice (over Michigan). That was my No. 1 choice.”

West Aurora played a brutally difficult schedule during its invitational schedule, but Carlini more often than not willed the team to its best efforts.

“One of our (better attributes) is we get along on and off the court,” Carlini said.

The star junior continues to seek ways to better her play.

“One of the things I wanted to do this year is perfect my setting,” said Carlini, who noted her imposing physical frame at the high school level was a dime-a-dozen in Turkey. “At the international level, you have to be 6-3 or 6-4 (to be an effective offensive player).”

The Carlini commitment that particular evening against WW South certainly paid dividends.

“I know if (Carlini will) give a good setup to me, I can kill it,” West Aurora junior Kaitlyn Richter said. “(Her sets) are like perfect, right in the sweet spot.”

“It's what everybody comes to see,” Schreier said of the Carlini performance in the Blackhawks' three-set win over the Tigers that night.

  Lauren Carlini won her second straight All-Area Captain. PAUL MICHNA/Pmichna@dailyherald.com