Boys volleyball: West Aurora downs St. Charles North in 3
It would have been easy for West Aurora to have that "here we go again" feeling after St. Charles North forced a deciding third set in boys volleyball action Tuesday night in St. Charles.
Instead, the Blackhawks refocused, and as a result their goal of an Upstate Eight Conference championship is still firmly in their grasp.
West Aurora's 25-17, 19-25, 25-19 win over St. Charles North helped erase the disappointment of its previous match, a loss to St. Charles East last Thursday.
"I think we were a lot more confident," West Aurora setter Tommy Garcia said. "We stuck together. We didn't completely fall apart in the second set. We built a little momentum going into the third set. We had a lot less unforced errors in the third set. We came out strong."
Tied for first with Glenbard East in the Upstate Eight - which doesn't have divisions for boys volleyball - West Aurora (19-8, 7-1) can clinch a share of the conference crown by winning its final two games against Streamwood and South Elgin.
"Practice Monday and Friday was phenomenal," Garcia said. "We had to reset and refocus our minds on what our goals are and where we're going to go. We want to play as a team and leave a legacy as we head out. We're trying to build up consistency for the state tournament."
West Aurora never trailed in the third set. Tied just once at 4-4, the Blackhawks opened a 16-11 lead on a Justin Reynolds kill.
St. Charles North (15-11, 6-2) pulled within 16-15 on Sean O'Leary's 5-point service run capped by Danny Hamilton's kill.
Thomas Kovanic powered the Blackhawks back in control with consecutive winners for a 20-16 lead. On match point West Aurora's Vinnie Mannella and Emmanuel Chaidez teamed up to block the North Stars.
"We're finding our groove again right now," West Aurora coach Tolis Koskinaris said. "We lost two bad matches. They felt they were just going to go out and beat them and St. Charles East brought it to them. We didn't take it seriously and it really affected us.
"I still think we will make a great run."
Kovanic and Reynolds led both teams with 11 and 8 kills, respectively.
North Stars coach Todd Weimer knew the Blackhawks would be going to those two college-bound outside hitters, headed to Loyola and Lewis, yet had a hard time stopping them.
"We tried to neutralize, we tried to go after them," Weimer said. "They got a lot of balls tonight. It was a dueling match between our team and their two outsides. We tried to do as best as we could. They are just really impressive players."
Drew Lanz led the North Stars with 2 aces, 5 kills and 6 digs. Tom Koppang and Hamilton both added 4 kills.
"Tonight we improved," Weimer said. "We played much better in the second set. It's just our gains are small. I have to be OK with that. They are trying their hardest, they are working hard."