Girls volleyball: Mahlke, Downers Grove North overcome York
Downers Grove North senior Margaret Mahlke wanted the volleyball Wednesday night.
She got it, and York couldn't stop her.
The St. Louis-bound Mahlke ripped 10 of her match-high 13 kills in the first game to lead the top-seeded Trojans to a historic victory at the Class 4A York sectional final.
The 27-25, 25-14 win gave Downers North (28-11) back-to-back sectional championships for the first time in program history. The Trojans, who are one win away from their first state semifinal appearance since 1988, will play St. Charles East in Friday's Bartlett supersectional.
"Before the match I kept telling myself, as I've been telling myself all season, this is my last chance to get to state and I'm going to do everything I can to help my team get there," Mahlke said. "I just knew that we needed to come out hot, come out with a strong start."
Mahlke did just that, opening the match with a kill and getting 6 of her team's first 10 kills, the last of which gave the Trojans a 16-9 lead.
The outburst was necessary because the second-seeded Dukes (26-13) did a good job of blocking Mahlke's teammates. York scored 6 straight points to erase a 19-14 deficit and went up 23-21 when Mahlke missed a kill attempt.
But Downers North setter Elizabeth Dunlap went right back to Mahlke, who spiked a kill on the next play.
"We're always told that whenever you make an error, you just have to be confident and want the ball again because you can't let one error get you down," Mahlke said. "In tight situations I look to (Dunlap) and tell her to give me the ball just because I know she believes in me and the team believes in me.
"I feel confident being in that position, but I know my team is always there to back me up when I need it."
Mahlke spikes twice brought the Trojans to game point. York's Sophia Glabus blocked Mahlke to stave off the first one, but Maddie Degiorgio's kill on the second one gave Downers North the set.
The rest of the Trojans got going in Game 2. Libero Madison Cuchran began picking apart York's serve receive. She finished with 11 service points, including 4 of Downers North's 8 aces, and the Dukes had no answer.
"We didn't do things in the second game that we've been doing for the last two weeks, so I think we're very disappointed," York coach Patty Iverson said. "Our best passer had a hard time passing. They served well, but the ball shouldn't be falling on the court."
Senior Jessica Levy paced York with 7 kills, while sophomore Gigi Barr added 6 and sophomore setter Grace Meadows tallied 18 assists. Freshman middle Gwendolyn Wolkow had 5 kills and 2 blocks for the Trojans, including the clinching block.
"They changed what they were doing with their shots, so I've got to hand it to them," Iverson said. "They played very well and (Mahlke) is a very nice hitter."