Waubonsie Valley girls volleyball hits the road to start the new season as the Warriors visit Oswego East. The Wolves will be a tough test after winning a regional championship and defeating Waubonsie Valley twice last fall. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Waubonsie and Oswego battle in the first set
One of the top returning players not just for Waubonsie but in the Dupage Valley conference is junior outside hitter Naomi Dowd. Maddie Hwang sets her up for the early kill to put the Warriors up 5-3.
Later in the set, Oswego East is on the serve. Waubonsie has a return ready as again it’s Hwang who sets up Ava Bellafiore. The junior extends the lead with a kill that the Wolves can not get back over.
Sometimes a play does not have to be pretty to be effective. Oswego East sets up Ava Stiller who does not get a clean hit on the ball, but the spin takes the ball to an empty spot on the floor for the point. Wolves trail 7-6.
Waubonsie Valley looking sharp in terms of the defense. Kaitlyn Reinhard passes to Liv O’Hara, who sets up Gabby Tlutstochowski for the kill. Waubonsie goes back up by three.
More strong defense from the green and gold. Asia Mitchell lays out for the sprawling dig. Naisha Khanna gets a left hand on the ball to knock it back over the net for the point.
Some errors from the Warriors are keeping Oswego East in the match, but they clean things up later in the set. Hwang sets up Khanna who surprises the Wolves with a two-handed set that pushes its way to an open spot near the back line for the point. Well placed by the senior.
Sam Miserendino serving for Waubonsie Valley. Oswego going for a kill but once again the defense stands tall as Tlutstochowski and Khanna form a wall for the block and the point for the Warriors.
But the Wolves refuse to go away. Trailing 20-17, Oswego East pulls within two after a kill from Paige Nottke finds its mark.
Waubonsie looking to close things out in set one. The Wolves with a dig that sails too far over the net. Kaitlyn Reinhard taps it over once and then delivers the kill on the second attempt at the net as the Warriors take set one 25-20.
Great defense leads to a great second set for the Warriors
Early in the second set, Waubonsie Valley has a lead once again. Naomi Dowd joins the block party not once, but twice on this point as the Warriors go up 5-2 and continue to hold the momentum.
Oswego East can defend as well. After a free ball, Dowd rises up for a kill attempt but Grace Milas is there for the block and keeps it in bounds as the Wolves trail 6-3.
Warriors getting it done at the serving line as well. Libero Sam Miserendino goes with the sky-scraping serve that falls just over the net for her second ace of the match. Waubonsie leads 15-7 in set two.
Oswego East working hard to get back into the match but the Waubonsie defense continues to step up and keep the Wolves at bay. After some deflections, Miserendino hits the floor for a pancake dig that gets sent back over. Maddie Hwang then keeps the ball alive for Naisha Khanna who somehow gets a return over. The Wolves’ timing is off on the kill attempt which forces Reinhard and Khanna to frantically punch it back to Oswego East. The final kill for the Wolves is blocked at the net by Dowd to end the marathon point and put the Warriors on top 18-10. What an effort!
Match point in the second set and the senior, Maddie Hwang delivers an ace with her serve. Waubonsie Valley girls volleyball with an impressive debut, after a 25-20, and 25-19 road victory over Oswego East.
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