Girls volleyball: Waubonsie Valley starts fast, but Benet catches up

At this time of the volleyball season, usually only the highest-seeded teams remain. The intensity level is high in the matches.

Benet, the top seed in the Class 4A Plainfield North sectional, was fired up for Monday's first semifinal battle against fifth-seeded Waubonsie Valley.

But the Redwings (33-5) soon realized that they would have to turn up the intensity a notch even more if they were going to stop the Warriors.

And they did, prevailing in three sets 22-25, 25-13, 25-21.

Next up for Benet is Wednesday's 6 p.m. sectional final against second-seeded Naperville North. The Redwings have prevailed twice over the Huskies, who beat Lockport in the second semifinal, twice this season in regular season play.

"Waubonsie was a little more fired up in the first set. We knew they would be tough," said Benet senior Allison Van Eekeren. "In the second set we knew we had to match or exceed their intensity."

After the first set was tied at 19, the Warriors proceeded to score six out of the last nine points to win with the help of kills by Elenzie France, Gabi Croll and Jessica Molina.

Waubonsie Valley coach Kari Galen said there wasn't that much difference in the Warriors' level of play in the first and third sets.

"There were a couple of errors here and there. We kind of lost our intensity in Game 2. But it got rekindled in Game 3. We passed well in Game 2, but we had hitting errors," she said.

Benet was ahead 13-12 in Game 2 when the Redwings' Hattie Monson took over serving. When Waubonsie (24-14) finally got the ball back, the Redwings led 23-13 with the help of an ace by Monson, a Kyla Kenney kill, two Caitlin Wepfer blocks and five Warriors hitting errors.

"We've been blocking well all season and everything really came together tonight," Wepfer said.

Waubonsie led early on in the deciding set. A Benet hitting error put the Warriors up 8-4. That lead also was built with the help of an ace Katie Krueger and kills from Aryanna Ruffin and Melissa Walden.

A Waubonsie hitting error tied the game at 11 and with Van Eekeren serving, an ace by her and kills by Valentina Tabares and Wepfer put Benet up 13-12. The Redwings led by 1 to 4 points the rest of the way with another block by Wepfer sealing the set and the match.