Metea Valley boys volleyball hosts Neuqua Valley, who look to remain undefeated in conference play. The Mustangs hope to score their first DVC win of the season and get back to a .500 record. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Metea boys volleyball opens with a set one win thanks to Battula and Patel
We start off in the first set with Metea up 3-2 early. Dhruva Jasti serves it up for Chase Marston who buries this strike just in the line for the kill. The Wildcats tie the game up at three.
A few possessions later with the score now tied at five, the action gets intense at the net. Om Patel tries to tip it over and just gets it past as the ball bounces on Neuqua’s side giving Metea the lead once again.
A few possessions later, Patel serves up a kill for Shriyans Battula, but instead he tips it over catching the Wildcats off guard and scoring the point. The Mustangs now lead at 9-7.
They would extend their lead now 13-10 before Neuqua counters. Jasti serves it up again for Marston who delivers another kill to put the Wildcats back in it down by two.
Later with Neuqua now in front by one, the Mustangs come charging back. This initial Metea kill is dug by Veda Chebrolu as the Wildcats prepare to go for the kill but it’s blocked by Kyle Petrusch, as Neuqua can’t recover, tying the game up again at 15.
Metea would take the lead again and add to it as Patel serves it up for Battula who delivers the fresh kill for the Mustangs who take a two-point lead again at 17-15.
However, Neuqua would linger and pounce. With the set now tied at 20, Marston sets it up for Jasti who delivers the quick shot to the other side for the point, as Neuqua takes the lead up 21-20.
The Wildcat defense would come up big. Nathan Verthein goes for the kill but it’s blocked away by Blake Thompson as Neuqua gets to match point with a 24-22 lead.
They would take set one as the serve from the Mustangs goes out of bounds giving them a 25-23 set one win.
Neuqua Valley responds with an eight-point second set win
In set two, things pick up where they left off, with the Wildcats down 3-2. Jasti serves it up for Chebrolu as the kill shot bounces off some Metea players before going out of bounds tying the game up at three.
Metea looks to counter by getting Kyle Petrusch more involved on offense. He takes the quick pass and smacks the ball like a fly giving Metea the lead again, up 5-4.
Also contributing is Battula who takes the pass and like Petrusch sends the message back to Neuqua that Metea leads again at 8-7.
However, Neuqua continues to counter, a dig is made by Vishak Naramreddy and the eventual kill shot is once again made by Marston giving the Wildcats the point and putting them down by two at 13-11.
Metea however, would pull away from there, two possessions later it’s Chebrolu this time going for the kill but Petrusch returns the message to the sender with another block giving the Mustangs a 15-11 advantage.
Later, Battula gets his chance to serve and makes it count as Neuqua isn’t ready for it, giving the Mustangs an ace and a 21-14 margin.
A few possessions later, the Mustangs return the favor as Shafique Mohammed tips the ball off the hands of Wildcat players and it goes out of bounds giving Metea a 25-17 set two win, as we head to three sets.
Metea Valley boys volleyball wins three set thriller
In set three, Metea continues to pound away. Up 3-1 early, Petrusch continues his outstanding match taking the quick pass and delivering another kill strike to make it 4-1 Metea early on.
It didn’t matter if it was offense or defense as Petrusch was there for big plays. Here, Chebrolu goes for another kill but Petrusch is there for the block tripling the Mustang lead to 9-3.
Battula would also join in as he gets the pass and delivers the kill shot giving Metea a sizable 13-4 margin over Neuqua.
A few possessions later, Petrusch caps off the match with a bang as his kill shot goes off the fingers of Neuqua players again, securing a 25-14 set three win for the Mustangs. Metea Valley gets its first DVC with the win against Neuqua and moves to 8-8 on the year.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
