Neuqua avoids Metea’s bid for first series win
Neuqua Valley is no stranger this season to being the target on opponents’ bull’s eye, or to slow starts.
“Sometimes they wait a little too long to answer that push. It’s happened far too many times. I told them, ‘Do not be repeat offenders,’” Wildcats coach Kelly Simon said. “Too many times teams have come out gunning for us and we waited too long.”
The Wildcats didn’t Tuesday.
Callie Huebener’s kill sparked a pivotal 9-1 third-set run, and Neuqua denied feisty Metea Valley’s bid for its first win in the District 204 rivalry with a 24-26, 25-23, 25-19 win in Aurora.
“We knew we were going to have to battle them to win,” Simon said, “and we had to battle until the end. I was relieved when it was over.”
The match was hotly contested for two-plus sets, Metea knotting the third at 13-13 on a kill by Brianne Honda.
DePaul recruit Huebener answered with a kill for Neuqua, Taylor McKeown dropped a tip kill over a block and Metea committed a hitting error.
The Mustangs called time out, but out of the break Huebener delivered a back-breaking ace on the back line to continue the point run.
“I think our defense picked up and everyone started talking on the court more,” said Huebener, who had 9 kills, 18 digs and 2 aces. “Everyone did their job.”
Two Allie Clarke kills, a Kaitlynn Novak kill and two Metea errors made it 22-14.
“(Neuqua) is a more experienced team, and it showed late in the match,” Metea coach James Milkert said. “They did a great job exposing a couple of our weaknesses.”
Metea (14-4-1, 2-1 Upstate Eight Valley), 13-1 over its last 14 matches coming in, came out intent on carving its own niche in the rivalry.
The Mustangs never trailed in the first set, scoring the first 4 points on a point run by libero Alyssa Ensminger. Freshman Lexie Lobdell’s kill made it 4-0 and the lead bulged at one point to 15-7.
Neuqua eventually pulled into a 24-24 tie, but Pittsburgh-bound Metea middle Jessica Boddy blocked Huebener and Huebener sent a spike long for set point.
Metea led 21-20 in a back-and-forth second set after a Neuqua spike hit the antenna, but the Mustangs gave back the lead with a pair of errors.
“I think we took a step closer,” Milkert said. “Of course I’m not satisfied with the way we finished the match, but I think we have established ourselves as a competitive program to be reckoned with. I don’t think you can deny that.”
Leighanne Novak followed with one of her 6 blocks and Huebener blocked Boddy to put Neuqua (13-7, 3-0) at set point.
“Our blocking definitely came on,” Simon said, “and needed to. We had 12 blocks for the match, which is a lot for us. If our blocking is better our defense is better.”
Brooke Antenen had 8 kills, 16 assists and 9 digs, McKeown 6 kills and Novak 5. Honda had 10 kills, Boddy 8 and Lobdell 6 for Metea.