It’s time for the girls volleyball postseason, with the DVC champions from Naperville Central hosting Wheaton Warrenville South in the regional semifinal round. The seventh-seeded Tigers are actually the home team on the scoreboard against the ninth-seeded Redhawks. Wheaton South took down Naperville Central in three sets to start the season back in August. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
After a couple of early points, the Redhawks serve the ball over. Wheaton Warrenville South gets on the board as Zoe Dragas pushes the ball over and down to the floor for the point.
Several points later, the Tigers serve it over. Central sets up a kill attempt, but Shloe Dudick and Katie Dragas get the block. Wheaton South takes a four-point lead.
The Redhawks find their rhythm
The Redhawks get back into the game. Marlowe Karagianis makes a nice dig, which allows Alexa Novak to set up Caroline Impey, who knocks the ball over for the point as Central ties things up.
Impey now has the serve as the Tigers set up their counterattack. Sophia Svingen gets up and makes the big block at the net as the Redhawks go up 16-14.
Wheaton South stays close. Audrey Utz makes a nice diving dig on the Annabelle Kritzer kill attempt. Alison Coyne then sets up Mackenzie Hartman for the kill. The Tigers trail 19-18.
The Redhawks hope to close things out late in the opening set. Hartman with a serve, followed by a pair of bumps from Kaylee Buda and Alexa Novak. Sophie Riddell taps the ball over the blockers for the point. Central takes the opening set 25-23.
Wheaton South takes control early in the second set
Naperville Central hopes to carry the momentum over into the second set. Hailey Morse does her part with back-to-back kills from the middle for the Redhawks.
Wheaton South is not going to roll over. After the Central serve, Coyne sets up Khloe Dudick for the big kill through the block as the Tigers take a 12-6 lead.
The black and orange continue to roll in the second set. Evangeline Feely adds a kill to give the Tigers their largest lead at 14-7.
The Redhawks begin to chip away, now trailing 16-13. Zoe Dragas goes for the kill, but Anabelle Kritzer sends the ball back. Dragas tries again, but Kritzer shuts the door as Naperville Central feels the momentum swing, with the lead now just two.
The set is all square at 20-20 as Novak serves for Central. Kaylee Buda makes a nice dig after a strong kill attempt. Dudick gets up for another kill, but Svingen and Morse form a wall and put the Redhawks in front by one after the block.
The score is even once again with another Redhawk serve. Buda with another dig. Novak sets up Sophie Riddell, who places her kill right in the middle of the court for the clutch point.
The Tigers again have an answer. Coyne with the assist to Zoe Dragas, who pops a return over for the point to tie the game at 23-23.
The second set goes back and forth
Wheaton South with a serve looking for the lead. Svingen goes for the kill but gets blocked. Buda and Svingen keep the ball alive before Kritzer knocks the ball over with two hands to put the Redhawks at match point at 24-23.
It goes back and forth with the set now tied 26-26. Katie Dragas gets the big kill for the Tigers as now they have set point with a 27-26 lead.
Dragas tries to send the match to a third set with the serve, but Novak sets up Impey for a big-time kill to tie things up once again at 27.
After an error from the Tigers, Alexa Novak serves for the match with a one-point lead. Her serve clips the net and drops over as the Tigers can only watch in stunned silence. Naperville Central wins the marathon second set 29-27 over Wheaton Warrenville South, advancing to the regional championship to face St. Charles North on Thursday night.
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