The postseason and spooky season are here, and the Naperville North fans are ready for it! Their sixth-seeded Huskies take on the twelfth-seeded Glenbard East Rams in the Regional Semifinals at Oswego High School. North enters the playoffs after winning the DVC championship with a 24-11 record and a 9-1 mark in conference play. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Early in the first set, the underdog Rams show they came to play. North’s Jessica Shah tees up a spike that is denied by senior Bridget Crocker.
Later, Glenbard East’s Madison Schmidt goes off speed on this hit, dropping the ball right over the fingertips of North’s frontline. The Rams jump out to an early 10-3 lead.
The Huskies look to mount a comeback. Senior Emma Chang makes a cross-court pass to fellow senior Joelle Pye-Blacknard. Her smash zips past the Rams and catches a piece of the court for the point.
Shortly after, Glenbard East possesses set point. Schmidt gives the Huskies a taste of their own medicine with this backcourt winner. The sophomore puts an exclamation mark on the opening set as the Rams throw the first punch, taking it 25-19.
Naperville North keeps season alive with dominant set two win
In set number two, Naperville North gets rolling. Emma Chang’s windmill has too much heat to be corralled.
Pye-Blacknard shows off her power once again. This time it’s senior Grace Anderson with the delivery, and Pye-Blacknard sends a screamer that finds open space for the kill.
Huskie senior Addie Victor ties up the match in style. She places her serve in the perfect spot for an ace. Momentum swings back to North in a major way with a strong 25-8 bounce-back.
Halfway through the final frame, junior Ram Abby Michelon tries to go up and over Jocelyn Jamrosz with her dropshot. Jamrosz’s reach is just enough to keep the ball on the same side of the court where it falls to the hardwood in favor of the Huskies. North holds a narrow lead, 15-13.
Time is running out on the Rams’ season, but Schmidt continues to be a spark for her squad. She executes this kill from distance to keep Glenbard East within striking range, trailing 19-17.
An ace from Kristen Anderson puts North only two points away from advancing to the next round.
The Rams complete the late comeback to upset the Huskies
The Rams charge back. Glenbard East rallies to knot the set at 24 apiece. Michelon gets revenge after her earlier kill attempt failed. This successful spike puts her team one point away from taking the match.
25-24 Glenbard East leads as the Huskies stare down match point. Michelon puts another shot over, which is bumped by Huskie Olivia Norris. While chasing the ball down, Grace Anderson steps over the centerline, resulting in the final point being awarded to the Red and Black.
The glass slipper fits the hoof of the Glenbard East Rams as they pull off the upset over the Naperville North Huskies, two sets to one. A tough end to a great season for the Blue and Orange. The Rams move on to face Oswego in the regional championship on Thursday.
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