Benet’s Ava Novak was mad and not about to surrender.
The sophomore outside hitter swung her powerful right arm again and again, sending the volleyball crashing repeatedly to the floor.
“My body was filled with anger,” Novak said. “I felt like my team was way better than we played at some points.”
After a slow start, Novak smashed six of her team-high 10 kills during a furious but ultimately futile rally in the third game Monday against Plainfield North, which hung on for a 25-14, 18-25, 25-18 victory in a Class 4A Oswego Sectional semifinal.
The second-seeded Tigers (32-6) will play top-seeded Metea Valley (36-2) — which eliminated fifth-seeded Yorkville 25-14, 25-20 — at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the sectional final.
It’s the first time Benet has failed to reach at least the sectional championship game since 2016. The thought of defeat fueled that fire in Novak.
“We always knew we had a chance to come back,” she said. “So we gave it everything we’ve got.”
The third-seeded Redwings (32-6) staged an impressive comeback, coming from three points down to take Game 2, then rallying from a 13-3 deficit in Game 3.
Novak had three straight kills at one point, and her final kill off a set from senior Sam Buckley pulled Benet within 22-18.
But Plainfield North setter Ella Strausberger answered with a block, then set up kills by Lauren Jansen and Ella Wrobel to clinch the win.
Wrobel, a Wisconsin recruit who’s the niece of former Naperville Central and Michigan State star Jenna Wrobel, made the difference for the Tigers.
The 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter blasted 19 kills to go with 13 service points and six aces, four of which came in succession in the final game.
“Ella Wrobel is amazing,” Novak said. “I love Ella and play club with her.
“She’s obviously going to get that insane kill and everyone is going to go crazy, but we try not to let that get in our heads and never let down.”
The Redwings never let down despite six hitting errors in Game 1.
They got gritty performances from Buckley, a Washington St. Louis recruit who capped her high school career with three kills and 27 assists, along with Novak and senior Caelin Abramic, who chalked up seven kills.
Junior Kirsten Krammer added five kills and junior middle Annie Eschenbach had four in defeat.
“Plainfield played really well,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “They served well — they were aggressive all night. They deserved to win, there’s no question.
More Top Picks Cobra Rad 380
“But give credit to our girls. A lot of teams would just roll over. We talked all year long about how we’re a young team, can we fight back? And we did.”
That bodes well looking at the future for Benet, which had no returning starters and only three healthy seniors.
“Our expectations aren’t going to change,” Baker said. “We tried to win a state championship with no returning starters. I don’t believe anybody has ever done it.
“Sometimes, losing can fuel you.”
It’s going to fuel Novak.
“I know this is my first high school season,” she said. “I know we got the experience from this and we know what to expect next year, so we’re going to bring it out 10 times more than this year.”
Despite her relative youth, Novak also knows the better team won Monday.
“Both teams came out super prepared,” Novak said. “We were super hyped up and so ready to play this game, but Plainfield played one of their best games against us.
“They just came out and completely dominated, so I have got to give all the credit and all my respect to Plainfield North.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.