WWS Tigers overcome deficit in quarterfinal win
The Wheaton Warrenville South boys volleyball team has a tradition of excellence in state tournament play.
Defending state champions, four state titles in school history and six consecutive state appearances are just a few of the accomplishments on WW South's repertoire of outstanding feats.
As junior outside hitter Neill Nystrom put it simply, "With the Tiger volleyball tradition, we win when we get (to state)."
However, the Tigers' bid for a repeat state title was seriously brought into question Friday afternoon in their state quarterfinal match up against Brother Rice. After dropping Game 1 by 10 and trailing 12-4 in the second game, it looked as if the Tigers might suddenly be able to relate to all their vanquished foes of seasons past.
Nystrom and his teammates, however, were willing to wait at least another day to share in that experience. Rebounding from their Game 2 deficit, the Tigers rallied for 25-22 victories in Games 2 and 3 and finished off the Crusaders in dramatic fashion for a 15-25, 25-22, 25-22 quarterfinal win.
"If we were going to lose, we were going to lose playing our best volleyball," Nystrom said.
In uncharacteristic fashion the Tigers were on the defensive for much of Friday's match. Game 1 saw WW South committing multiple unforced errors, which prevented it from leading even once throughout the entire opening game.
"We were fighting ourselves (in Game 1)," coach Bill Schreier said. "We had somewhere around 13-14 errors, and at this juncture you can't have that happen."
Down again 12-4 in Game 2 and with the season hanging in the balance, the 6-foot-10 junior Nystrom let his teammates know that he was ready to claw back.
"In the beginning of Game 2 'Ny' turned to me and said 'Give me the ball,' " junior setter Joe Kelly said. "I knew I had him in that game."
Kelly, in addition to running the Tigers offense with his 24 assists, had 2 kills as well in Friday's match.
"When a team comes, like Brother Rice that doesn't make a lot of mistakes, you really have to step up your game," Schreier said. "That's a big lesson we can learn from this game."
The Tigers got excellent production as well from junior outside hitter Kevin Mueller, as well as all-state senior Eric Hardek.
The Crusaders, who looked in position to take down the defending champion Tigers for much of Friday's match, in the end could not handle the WW South rally and in turn had their season come to a disappointing end.
"We put up big leads and they kept coming at us," Crusaders coach Paul Ikes said. "I thought we put up a great fight."
With the tough quarterfinal behind them, WW South will meet Providence Catholic (35-1) in today's state semifinals. Providence defeated Glenbrook North in three games to advance to today's match.
"We know how (Providence) plays and what they feed off of, and it's going to be a monumental task (to beat them)," Schreier said. "We need to maintain our composure, and I think today you really saw us do that."