Naperville Central celebrates Senior Night as the Redhawks honor eight seniors before facing Neuqua Valley girls volleyball. The Wildcats look to crash the party with revenge on their minds after falling to the Hawks in two sets on September 21. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Barn burner early
Neuqua Valley trails 5-4 early but Hailey Stumpf serves up an ace for Central to knot it up in the first set.
The Cats jump in front of the Hawks and want to grow the lead. Central sends it back over but that gives Neuqua the reset chance and Aubrey Dumstorff uses both her hands to keep the ball on the other side to extend the lead to 11-8 for Neuqua.
Although the Redhawks quickly crawl back but they can’t it over at first but then Caroline Impey is ready for the kill and puts some firepower behind it to tie the set at 12-12.
The points keep coming along even with a rally on the court. Neuqua tries their best to keep it alive and they do but Sophia Zanca gets enough juice on the hit for the point and it puts her team in front 16-15.
The Wildcats tie it back up this time at 23-23. Once they hit rest mode it’s Stumpf again with the point and the Blue and Gold take a 24-23.
Set point for Neuqua and it’s an aggressive possession but once they get another shot on offense, it’s Eleanor O’Neal with the kill to give the Wildcats a 26-24 set one win.
The Redhawks use the second set as a new opportunity, and it starts with a point from Impey. It’s 5-2 home team early in set two.
Aces continue to help Neuqua and Stumpf serves up another to cut the deficit to 8-5.
Seniors helping the Hawks
Every Neuqua swing results in an Redhawk bounce back, and Zanca shows off with an aggressive kill to make 13-10 Central.
On Senior Night more Redhawk seniors jump in the fun. Adriana Villanova helps out the squad with a point of her own to grow the lead to 16-12.
The set remains close because of Neuqua Valley players like Emi Chiaradonna tally a point and cut the Cats deficit within two.
Now the Hawks are in set point mode and it’s MaKenna Devick forcing a tiebreaker with a kill and a 25-23 second set two win.
The Redhawks keep in the momentum in set three up 6-5 and Zanca adds on some more with a block party.
Then MaKenna Devick is at it with more kills. The Redhawks have a little bit of momentum on their side up 13-8.
Wildcats take control after wild three sets
This one is far from over. The Wildcats crawl back and tie the set at 14-14 and then they grab the lead with a kill from O’Neal.
Tied again this time at 20 and Neuqua Valley relaxes and gets the big point form Izzy Confessori and the blue and gold take the lead once again this time they hope it’s for good.
That proved to be pivotal because they have match point up by two and Lauren Schmidtgall ends things with an ace to cap off an intense three sets for the Wildcats. Neuqua Valley girls volleyball steals one on Central’s senior night 26-24, 25-23 and 25-22.
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