Girls volleyball: Downers Grove North changes fortunes against York
Junior Jacki Lucas and her Downers Grove North volleyball teammates certainly remembered Oct. 15, when York ended their hopes of sharing a third consecutive West Suburban Silver title.
Thanks to their inspired 25-23, 25-21 victory over the Dukes in the Class 4A Glenbard West Sectional semifinals Monday, the Trojans' season is continuing.
No. 3-seeded Downers North (22-6) will play at 6 p.m. Wednesday against top-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South (30-8), a 25-9, 25-15 winner over No. 4 Downers Grove South (18-12).
"It was really fun to beat (York) because we did lose to them once so we had to come back and fight extra hard tonight," Lucas said. "We don't want this to be our seniors' last game so we really had to play for them."
Downers North sophomore Gwendolyn Wolkow had 11 kills and 10 digs. Lucas had 10 kills, senior Grace Malone 24 assists and junior libero Madison Cuchran 13 digs.
No. 2 York (29-8) was led by junior Gigi Barr's 11 kills and 7 digs. Junior Katie Norgle had 4 kills and 12 digs, junior Stella Barr added 3 kills and 5 blocks and junior Emily Fleckenstein had 19 assists.
The Dukes regular-season 25-16, 28-26 at Downers North not only clinched the outright WSC Silver title for Lyons Township but also came on the Trojans' #BethStrong Night honoring Beth Dunlap, the setter on last year's Class 4A runner-up who was tragically struck and killed by a driver while legally crossing the street near school last Feb. 20. The Trojans defeated Lyons Township in the final conference round Oct. 22.
"(The York loss) was especially tough because we wanted to play for (Beth). I feel like we came back on fire so in the end it was pretty good," Lucas said.
Lucas played key roles down the stretch in both sets.
With the first set tied Lucas' kill put the Trojans ahead 23-22 followed by another kill for game point.
In the second set Lucas helped the Trojans stay slightly in front with kills for 21-19 and 23-21 leads. She then served the final two points on Wolkow's kill off the tape and Malone's kill on match point.
Downers North coach Mark Wasik pointed to solid passing and allowing no aces among key factors in winning such a tight match. York's 5-1 second-set lead was about the only separation until the final points.
"We have to be that team that plays good ball control. That first contact on the serve or receive has to be good for us to give us hope in a rally," Wasik said.
York had 5 blocks for points but also 5 service errors versus the Trojans' 5 errors with 5 aces.
"We didn't do our game plan so that's what happens. We were supposed to block, supposed to play defense a certain way and we didn't. You don't get a second chance," York coach Patty Iverson said. "They served well. They hit well. Their team play was good. We just didn't execute. They're a nice team. It would be nice if we would have played more consistently."
The Dukes also were eliminated by the Trojans in the 2018 sectional final. York's 2020 team should again be a force with middle Sydney Krueger and defensive specialist Grace Schneider the only senior starters.
"Beating them previously in the season I really thought that we had a really great chance of beating them today, but sadly we didn't," Gigi Barr said. "We put it all out there today and I'm happy with the team and happy with the season, although I wish we could have gone farther."