Girls volleyball: Geneva tops Waubonsie Valley for 20th win

Waubonsie Valley was on the cusp of forcing a decisive third set.

But the Geneva girls volleyball team had other thoughts in the waning moments of the schools' nonconference match Monday night.

Waubonsie Valley had a pair of second-game points Monday night in Geneva, but Grace Loberg, the Vikings' Wisconsin commit, had one of her match-high 8 kills to terminate the first threat.

Geneva sophomore libero Payton Bellano then served an ace as part of a 3-point service run to complete the Vikings' 25-21, 26-24 victory in Geneva.

"We just really wanted to win," said Geneva junior outside hitter Ally Barrett. "We've been working on having higher energy when we play. We wanted to be aggressive and not worry about mistakes. Payton had some great serves to end the (second) game."

Following the Bellano ace to tie the second set at 24-24, the Vikings' Alexandria Mullen had a kill to put Geneva a point from victory.

"(Interim) coach (Jess Anspach) always tells us that under pressure to go as hard as you can," Bellano said. "I just went back there and served how I usually do. I got an ace, which is always nice."

Waubonsie Valley (14-10) had 4 hits on the final point of the match.

The two sets were almost carbon copies of each other.

Geneva would establish a 4- to 5-point lead in each game, only to have Waubonsie Valley storm back.

Waubonsie Valley senior leader Caroline Cordes' critical blocks for points late in each game against the Vikings' imposing front line forged ties.

"We let them get ahead in each game," Cordes said. "Blocks gain a lot of momentum, especially if (the opponent has) a lot of big players. We try not to be intimidated by the height of the other team."

Geneva, with 20 wins against a mere 2 losses on the season, appeared to make quick work of the Warriors in the second set.

Mullen had a block for a kill to give Geneva an 18-13 cushion, but the Warriors would respond with an 11-4 run.

Cordes' match-best fourth block gave Waubonsie Valley a 24-22 lead.

"We had one of our stronger-hitting lineups up there," Waubonsie Valley coach Kristen Didier said of the Warriors' attempt to forge a third set. "I thought we could get at least one kill there."

In the opening set, neither team led by more than a point after the first 21 points were played.

Cordes' opening block of the match and a Lauren Howard kill reversed a 5-point Geneva lead to tie the opening set at 20-20.

Loberg gave Geneva the lead for good with a kill and ended the first set with another winner.

"Too many," Loberg said when asked how many matches she missed due to mononucleosis to start the season.