Saint pass test at Neuqua V.
St. Charles East was looking for a good test before this weekend's Mizuno Cup volleyball tournament. The Saints got one Tuesday.
Neuqua Valley gave the Saints all they wanted in Game 1 between Upstate Eight Conference co-leaders in Naperville before succumbing 28-26, 25-17.
"We needed that. That's a great way to start the week," St. Charles East coach Jennie Kull said. "One of the things we've been working on is playing through an entire match. The girls did that tonight."
St. Charles East (20-1, 6-0) has not lost since a defeat to Naperville Central in the Prairie Ridge Invite Sept. 13.
The Saints could meet the Redhawks again in this weekend's tournament at Great Lakes Center that also features Naperville North, Belleville Althoff, Joliet Catholic and Geneva.
"These are some of the best teams in Illinois we're getting ready to play. It's going to show us where we are going into the postseason," Saints junior Caroline Niski said. "This match tonight makes us more ready to go. We have a little bit more confidence now."
Neuqua Valley (14-6, 6-1) spotted St. Charles East a 14-8 lead in the first game, then ran off 10 straight points to go ahead 18-14. A Rachel Quackenbush kill started things, Nikki Federico threw down 2 kills and an Alexis Rogers block finished the stretch.
St. Charles East came back to tie it at 19-19 on a Haley Streich kill. Four ties later, the Saints went ahead 27-26 on a Neuqua Valley hitting error and won it another Wildcats mishit.
Neuqua Valley also had 2 critical errors in the game's waning moments. "We felt like we were in control of that first game," Neuqua Valley coach Kelly Simon said.
Niski had kills for 3 of St. Charles East's last 5 points, including a tip kill to tie the game at 26-26.
"We kind of let them go on that one serve receive rotation," Niski said, "but winning that first game was huge. We got our confidence back."
With momentum on their side, the Saints didn't give it back. St. Charles East scored the first 3 points of Game 2, Jacqui Seidel's block made it 9-3 and moments later 2 Streich kills made it 18-9.
"To come out in that second game and pass as well as we did was a relief going into the next couple weeks," Kull said. "I'm pleased with how Stacy (Reid) and Jacqui and Meghan (Niski) came through and passed really well. That was the difference for us. Taking nothing away from Neuqua. They came out on fire in that first game."
Niski had 10 kills, Streich 6 kills and 9 digs and Laura Homann 23 assists for the Saints.
St. Charles East. Federico had 6 kills, Quackenbush 5 kills, 7 digs, 3 aces and Hope Baumgartner 9 digs and 9 assists for Neuqua Valley.
"St. Charles East is really solid. They're 20-1 for a reason," Simon said. "This was a big match. We were both going in undefeated in the UEC, we've never won conference and it's a goal going in every year to win it. Losing tonight makes it tough."