Benet’s Haggerty, Jendryk share Sun Player of Year honor

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Led by middle hitter Meghan Haggerty (left) and right-side hitter Jenna Jendryk, the Benet girls volleyball team came home state champions this past weekend. "It feels amazing," Jendryk said of winning the trophy. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media

Updated: December 17, 2011 8:12AM

It’s not difficult to figure out how the Benet girls volleyball team won the Illinois state championship this year. The Redwings team was tall, fast, talented and possessed experienced depth, and as the year went on the players developed strong team chemistry.

But, the Redwings’ pair of aces on the court — Meghan Haggerty and Jenna Jendryk — gave Benet a double threat at the net that no team in the state could match.

Haggerty, the dominating 6-foot-3 middle hitter, and Jendryk, the athletic 6-foot right-side hitter, are the co-choices for The Sun’s Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.

With this dynamic duo in the lineup the past three years, the Redwings have put together a phenomenal 106-14 record, the last victory being on Nov. 12 when Benet defeated Cary-Grove in three sets for the state title.

Jendryk led the team in kills this year with 275 and Haggerty was second with 259.

About Haggerty, Benet coach Brad Baker said: “Meghan has been a force for three years, but this year she brought her game to another level. She’s smart and she knows what has to be done in every situation. And, she’s talented so she can get it done. She’s gone from being someone who pounds the ball hard to someone who totally understands the game.”

Haggerty’s highlight reel now features her amazing 18-kill performance in the championship match.

And about Jendryk, Baker said: “Jenna has always hit hard, and she has a multitude of shots. And this year, her blocking has improved tremendously. She just shuts down the block on the right side. It’s very difficult scoring against her.”

He said Jendryk’s breakout match came in the finals of the Mizuno Cup during her junior year when she put down 24 kills. This year she was named MVP in both the Benet Invitational and the Wheaton Classic.

Baker went on to compare the contrasting styles of his superstars.

“They have different personalities on the court,” he said. “Meghan just has that calm, quiet assassin demeanor while Jenna has a little more flair. When she gets a kill or a block, everyone gets pumped up.”

The coach said the two became friends during their freshman year and they’ve grown closer every year.

“They’ve become attached at the hip,” Baker said. ‘They’re always giggling and laughing together. They have fun, but as the record shows, they’re deadly serious about their volleyball.”

“We’re spontaneous and we have a lot of inside jokes,” said Jendryk. “We’re constantly laughing, but we kind of know when to be serous now. We know the experience of winning and the pressure of tough matches, so we try to be a calming influence on our teammates.”

“We’re best friends,” said Haggerty. “We communicate well both on and off the court.”

And, of course, there’s that respect they have for each other as volleyball players.

“Jenna has a lot of heart,” said Haggerty. “She’s loud and energetic on the court and her presence brings a lot to the team. And her kills are usually momentum changers. She knows where it’s open on the court. As a right-side hitter, she just shuts down the other team’s outside hitter.”

“Meghan can intimidate the other team,” said Jendryk. “She has all that power and athletic ability and she knows where to put the ball. She’s so good. When she puts the ball straight down and hard, I would be scared to go against her.”

Both will be going to Division 1 schools on volleyball scholarships — Haggerty to Wisconsin and Jendryk to Virginia Tech.

“With those two kids, we’ve known for the past few years that we have two of the best in the state,” Baker said. “When you can rely on them for the most important volleyball skills, you have a comfort factor going into every match. And when you add to that their experience in big matches, and how they help the other girls get the best out of themselves, you really have something. This championship season started with Jenna and Meghan.”