Neuqua takes tourney crown

The Neuqua Valley girls volleyball team made history and issued payback at the same time.

The Wildcats captured the school's first tournament title by sweeping Downers Grove North 25-20, 25-20 in the championship match of the Waubonsie Valley Warrior Blast on Saturday afternoon in Aurora.

"It feels great to finally make Neuqua Valley history and just finally win that tournament," said Wildcats all-tourney setter Paige Stevens. "It was one of our goals at the beginning of the season and we finally reached it."

It was sweet revenge for Neuqua Valley (13-4), which got swept by Downers North (13-5) in the tourney title match last year.

This time both clubs were coming off three-game semifinals. Neuqua Valley wasn't happy with the way it played in its 25-17, 22-25, 25-22 semifinal win against Rosary but rebounded with an energetic effort in the championship match.

"I think we were just really excited to play Downers Grove North again since we got creamed by them last year in the finals of this tournament," Stevens said. "We just came out extra fired up for that reason."

"Coming into the championship match with the disappointment of how poorly we executed in the semifinals, they wanted to really clean things up and play tougher in the finals," Neuqua Valley coach Kelly Simon said of her players. "I think we were more aggressive. I think we were a little bit looser."

In the first game Neuqua Valley used a 6-point run -- in which Michelle Madeja landed 3 of her 8 kills -- to build a 21-13 cushion. In Game 2 the Wildcats scored the first 4 points and comfortably protected that lead the rest of the way.

"Unfortunately, again, we did not step up to the challenge," Downers North coach Laura Johnwick said. "I don't even think I can pinpoint one thing. In all aspects of the game we were not excited. We were not fired up. We didn't have intensity."

Molly Sigerich's 8 kills and 2 aces paced the Trojans, who advanced with a 22-25, 25-16, 25-23 semifinal triumph over Waubonsie Valley (13-5).

The host settled for fourth place in the 16-team tourney after a 25-21, 25-23 loss to Rosary (14-4).

"We were a little deflated after Downers North," Waubonsie Valley coach Kristen Stuart said. "That was a good match."