Motivated BG makes return to state
You could see it in their eyes.
Senior libero Joe Duda and the rest of the Buffalo Grove boys volleyball team were not happy after top-seeded Glenbrook North, with 6-foot-4 senior Colin Cullitan dominating in the middle, breezed to a Game 1 win in Tuesday night's Highland Park sectional final.
"We were disappointed with the way we played," said Duda, "but instead of getting down, we turned it around. We used that as motivation and got fired up."
And with sophomore lefty Chris Shanahan leading the way with 9 kills, BG responded by rallying to defeat the Spartans 18-25, 25-15, 25-20 to claim its second straight sectional title.
BG (30-5) will play in Friday's 5 p.m. state quarterfinal at Hoffman Estates High School against Glenbard North, which beat Lake Park 25-21, 25-18 for the Elgin sectional title.
Duda, who played a "pheonomenal match" according to BG coach Matt Aiello, finished with 12 digs, setter Dan Wichmann dished out 29 assits, and the Bison got a big lift from an unlikely source.
Six-foot-5 freshman middle Sam Wacker, a late season call up playing his first varsity match, responded with 3 crucial blocks to help stem the Glenbrook North tide.
"After Game 1," said Aiello, "the coaching staff and I decided we needed more height. We've got some other great middles on the bench, but I went to Wacker and told him, 'be ready - this is why we had you suit up.'"
"I was completely nervous," said Wacker, "but after the first block I was going on excitement and adrenaline."
Second-seed Buffalo Grove, last year's state runner-up, stormed to a big lead in the deciding game but with the Spartans mounting a comeback, Wichmann made the play of the game.
The senior leaped high in the air at the net to block a spike attempt by Cullitan.
Two late kills from junior right side Nick Baronti (7 kills) helped close out the match while senior Chris Falknor, the co-Mid Suburban League East player of the year, contributed with 6 kills and 2 aces.
"We like to say we have a family atmosphere on our team," said Aiello, "and in the huddle after Game 1, I kind of laughed and said, 'Guys, we're not doing much right. We're missing serves, giving them free balls - this is not the way we want to go out.'
"I told them, 'Whether we win or go out - we never say lose - this match will go 3 games.'"
"I don't think we've ever played like that before," said Wichmann of the Game 1 loss. "I don't really know why, I just knew we couldn't afford to do it again.
"In the second game we turned the switch, got fired up, and came to play."