Redhawks win 5th straight regional

Consistency and composure were the catch words for the Naperville Central Redhawks on Saturday.

It spells out another regional championship.

The No. 3 seed Redhawks had few peaks and valleys in their game in turning away No. 6 Neuqua Valley 25-14, 25-19 at the Class 4A Waubonsie Valley regional final, Naperville Central's fifth straight regional title.

"I thought from point one to point 50 we played pretty composed," Redhawks coach Brie Isaacson said. "Neuqua is a great team. To be able to play that consistent, I was really proud of the girls."

Naperville Central (32-5) will play No. 2 Naperville North in Tuesday's Downers Grove South sectional.

"We've been trying to work on consistency," said Redhawks senior libero Jill Fields. "Once we're up, to stay up and when we get down to get back up right away, not get down in a hole. I think we did a great job of that today."

The Redhawks controlled Game 1, leading from start to finish and committing just one error. Conversely, Neuqua Valley's passing was out of rhythm and the Wildcats made 13 errors. Naperville Central scored the game's first 3 points on an Emily McGee kill, Kelsey Hoey ace and Mary Carroll kill, setting the tone.

"When we pass well, with the hitters we have, we're hard to stop," Isaacson said. "Really today, wherever it went, the hitters were able to put it away. Everybody being involved gives us the best chance to win."

Neuqua Valley, seeking its first regional championship in school history, didn't lie down in Game 2. The margin never was greater than 4 points throughout, and Neuqua Valley trailed just 19-18 after a Nikki Federico block. Naperville Central rolled off 4 straight points from there, though. McGee dropped in a kill in the middle of the front row, a Neuqua Valley return sailed wide, and Carroll and McGee threw down kills. Kills by Carroll and Nicole Sarby closed out the match.

"All things considered, we wish Game 1 would have gone as well as Game 2," sad Neuqua Valley coach Kelly Simon, whose team made just 4 errors in the second game. "But Naperville Central is a great team."

Federico had 12 digs and 5 kills, Rachel Quackenbush 4 kills and Hope Baumgartner 8 digs and 7 assists for Neuqua Valley, which finished with a 22-10 record for the third straight season.

"We lost eight seniors from last year's team," Simon said, "so in the eyes of many people this was a rebuilding year. In a sense it was. I'm proud of our girls."

McGee had 12 kills and 7 digs, Meghan Bray 8 kills, Hoey 21 assists and Fields 8 digs for Naperville Central. The Redhawks can now turn their attention to a loaded sectional that features Naperville North, No. 1 Benet and Downers Grove South.

"We know every team from now on," Fields said. "Sectionals is a great time."