Long-term memory is one of the strong points of the Downers Grove South volleyball team. The Mustangs didn’t forget it took them three games to defeat Downers Grove North in the regular season.
Downers South dispatched North 15-3, 15-7 Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Glenbard East Class AA sectional. Naperville North advanced to Thursday’s sectional final against Downers South after outlasting Wheaton North 15-7, 1-15, 15-7.
“We learned from our mistakes last time,” said Downers South senior Lindsey Filkens, who had 10 kills. “We were ready. You have to give them a lot of credit but we came out on fire.”
In the first game, the Mustangs trailed just once, 1-0. With Filkens and junior Michelle Chatman dominating the net, Downers South wasn’t threatened.
The second game saw the Trojans, who finished at 27-10, take a 6-5 lead on an ace served by Abby Kalal. A Chatman kill gave the serve to Downers South and the Mustangs went on a 10-1 run to end Downers North’s season.
“We made mistakes, I don’t know what happened,” Downers North coach Laura Schneeweiss said. “I asked the kids if they were nervous and they said no. I just think for some reason we were off our game.”
Both Naperville North, now 30-7-1, and Wheaton North, which finished 25-11-2, were off their games in the second semifinal. Kathleen Bazzetta led the Huskies with 10 kills while Elizabeth Kwak-Hefferan had 15 for Wheaton North.
Reid Hanley.
Cary-Grove: Cary-Grove (32-6) rallied to down Palatine 15-9, 13-15, 15-12. Jamie Hastings had 15 kills while Nikki Pagles chipped in 16 blocks for the Trojans. . . . Maggie Haen had eight kills and three aces and Stephanie Obermeier had 18 assists for Prairie Ridge (29-8) in its 15-7, 16-14 win over Jacobs (32-7).
Evanston: Hersey (33-3-1) got past Glenbrook South 15-3, 15-13 with six kills and two aces from Kara Baysinger and 22 assists from Jessica Brizzolara. Glenbrook South finished the year at 18-8. . . . New Trier (23-9) used six kills from Alexis Geocaris to defeat Prospect 15-2, 15-10.
Lake Park: St. Charles (36-2) rolled to a 15-8, 15-13 sweep behind Caroline Frede’s 20 assists. . . . Larkin (25-9-1) defeated Rolling Meadows 15-11, 15-9, with 15 kills from Julie Malm.
Oswego: For the second straight year Minooka (33-5) advanced to the sectional final with a 15-6, 15-4 victory over LaSalle-Peru. Ryane Beasley had eight kills and eight blocks while Cyndi Norman added 14 assists for Minooka. . . . Joliet (23-13) defeated Waubonsie Valley 13-15, 15-11, 15-9 behind 16 kills and four blocks from Tiffany Cornelius.
Reavis: Queen of Peace (31-8) dropped the first game to St. Ignatius (23-14) but rallied to win the next two and the match 15-17, 15-12, 15-6 with 17 kills from Melissa Vandrey. . . . Sarah Potts had three kills for Lyons (33-4), which upended Oak Park 15-5, 15-2.
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Stagg: Janet Cotter and Staci Boyce had eight kills each to lead Lockport (25-13) to a 15-3, 15-9 win over Andrew. . . . In the second match, Meghan O’Donoghue had nine kills as Stagg (22-15) rolled to a 15-8, 15-6 win over Mt. Assisi.
T.F. North: Marian Catholic (34-3) rolled past T.F. South 15-1, 15-2 behind eight kills and five blocks from Lisa Lutkus. . . . Sixteen kills from Megan Knightly helped Mother McAuley (23-15) down Bradley-Bourbonnais 11-15, 15-9, 15-2.
Warren: Anne T’Niemi had 20 assists as Mundelein (31-3) advances with a win over Buffalo Grove 15-10, 15-7. . . . Diana Steplyk had six kills and two blocks for Libertyville (29-9) as it downed Stevenson 15-13, 15-6.
Class A
Immaculate Conception: Marian Weidner had five kills and two blocks as St. Francis knocked off Latin 15-1, 15-2. . . . Timothy Christian got eight kills and five blocks from Barbie Heerdt to defeat Wheaton Academy 16-14, 15-10.