Riverside-Brookfield boys volleyball fends off Naperville North in a competitive two-set win to move on to the regional semifinal. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
The boys volleyball regional quarterfinals are a wild night of competition. Naperville North the 21 seed takes on the 12 seed, Riverside-Brookfield in the fourth and final game of the night of the St. Francis regional.
Naperville North gives Riverside-Brookfield all it can handle
Matthew Vercellotti starts off serving for the Huskies. Riverside-Brookfield boys volleyball is ready with a return as Landon Harazin sets up Ignace Bielobradek for the kill and the early lead.
A quick response from Naperville North. Grant Anderson leaves his feet a bit early, but still manages to keep the ball in the air. Vercellotti and Ermuun Batchuluun then set up Noah Hrubesky for the kill. Just a start of things to come for Hrubesky.
All tied at 7-7 later in the set, Hrubesky gets low to keep the ball alive. The Bulldogs then try to tap it over but Holden Randall is there for the block in the middle and the junior is fired up.
Benjamin Carlson serving now, Riverside has another return set up as Thomas Dixon powers a return through the block attempt. Back and forth we go.
Bulldogs serving once again, Hrubesky slides in for the dig, Bathuluun then sets up Carlson for the strong kill. The Huskies trail 14-13.
On the ensuing serve, Noah Hrubesky evens the score with the ace as Naperville North continues to keep the pressure on.
Both teams unable to create any kind of separation as the set continues on. Free balls go back and forth multiple times on this point. Dixon goes for the kill, Grant Anderson comes flying in to keep the ball up before Vercellotti pushes it back over. But the Bulldogs finish off the point as Sam Shelven slams it down. 16-14 Bulldogs lead.
North on the serve late in the set trailing by one. Sebastian Ciszewski goes for the kill, but Batchuluun is there for the big block to tie things up.
Bulldogs leading 27-26, serving on set point. Charles Vescoso with a kill attempt that is deflected, but drops to the court for the point to tie it up once again 27-27.
Riverside-Brookfield has set point once again. The Huskies are forced to send over a free ball. The Bulldogs take advantage as this time, Ciszewski gets his kill through the block as Riverside-Brookfield takes the marathon opening set 29-27.
Set two goes back and forth as well
In the second set, the Huskies show no signs of rolling over. Batchuluun sets up Grant Anderson who goes up for the kill. North ties it up 6-6.
The Bulldogs now leading 17-16 later in the set. Sam Shelven goes for another kill but a wall of arms pops the ball back up in the air. It comes back down to the Bulldogs and Harazin sets up Shelven again who delivers the hammer this time. The junior is just a tad fired up after that one.
As they have all night long, the Huskies have an answer. Batchuluun to Hrubesky again with another big time kill to tie things up at 18-18.
North on the serve, trailing by two and the Bulldogs get their big man in the middle involved. Sebastian Ciszewski rises for the kill. Riverside is on the brink of victory up 22-19.
But Naperville North is not done yet, the Bulldogs put a free ball over the net. Vercellotti and Batchuluun set up Carlson for another kill. The blue and orange tie things up once again 22-22.
Match point for Riverside-Brookfield. The Huskies set up the return as they go back to Hrubesky who gets a good swing on the ball, but Shelven is there for the block to end the game and the season for Naperville North. A great game goes the way of the Bulldogs, who advance to face St. Francis after a 29-17, 25-22 win over the Huskies.
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