Neuqua edges Huskies again

It's hard to get closer than this.

For the second time this spring Neuqua Valley's fourth-ranked boys water polo team edged Naperville North by a single goal. On Tuesday the visiting Wildcats won 13-12 in overtime.

Neuqua Valley (9-4-1) stole the ball and broke the tie on Mike Rooney's lob with 1 minute, 12.7 seconds left in overtime.

Neuqua's defense limited the Huskies to one long shot with 1.4 seconds left, high over the Wildcats net.

After hitting goal posts and the crossbar six times early, Neuqua found focus at Naperville North (3-9).

"We couldn't hit our shots and early on we weren't taking good shots," said Neuqua coach Martin Bell. "But we started to pack it in and play really well the second half. Then we played great defense, and that's what kept us in the game."

Sophomore A.J. Quebbeman scored 5 goals with 4 assists for Neuqua, with Rooney notching 4 goals - including both the Wildcats' overtime scores - and 3 assists in support of goalkeeper Kevin Codes.

"We play hard defense and we're a fast team and we use that to our advantage to counter and get as many goals off it as possible," Quebbeman said.

They needed them all as they did exactly one month prior, a 9-8 Neuqua win March 14 over the Huskies.

Quebbeman's rebound goal gave the Wildcats an 11-8 lead with 2:53.8 remaining when Naperville North got busy.

Austin Katz converted a penalty shot then got a steal that led to Connor Hubbard's goal with 1:38.8 left.

Codes came up with a big stop with 40 seconds to play, but with only 5.4 seconds left lanky Matt Johnson zipped the ball just past Codes to force overtime.

"The first half of the season we were sitting still, we were very stagnant," said Huskies coach George Horn, who got 5 goals and 3 assists from Katz, 2 goals each from Johnson and Hubbard. Lucas Sasveld made 14 saves.

"Tonight we were moving. There was a lot more movement without the ball and with the ball," Horn said. "Guys were cutting, going to where they're supposed to go, the balls were getting to where they're supposed to go. That was the difference."

On the other hand was Tuesday's 1-goal difference. Again. It won't deter Naperville North.

"We've been working harder in practice, harder and harder, so we just need to keep doing what we're doing, progressing throughout the season," Johnson said. "I think we can get to them later."