Girls Volleyball: New Trier advances to state semifinals
New Trier sophomore Sarah Shafiq said that she looks at the girls volleyball team’s 1975 state championship banner every single day at practice. Now, Shafiq and her teammates will have a chance to capture another state title after their 25-13, 23-25, 25-14 victory over Glenbard West in Saturday’s Niles West Supersectional match.
“I stare at that [banner] every day in the gym,” said Shafiq, a right side hitter. “I’m so excited. It’s amazing. I can’t even describe it.”
New Trier will next take the court Friday evening in the Class 4A state semifinals against Mother McAuley at Redbird Arena in Normal.
Trailing 3-1 to start Game 3, the Hilltoppers scored three straight points, helped by a thunderous spike down the middle of the court by senior outside hitter Megan Wagner and a perfectly placed soft spike into the middle of the Trevians’ defense by fellow senior outside hitter Amanda Perry.
The Trevians (38-1) sealed control of the game, however, with three consecutive assists by junior setter Taylor Tashima — two to junior middle blocker Haley Fauntleroy and one to senior outside hitter Maggie Carragher. When Perry sent her spike right into a double block, it gave New Trier a 12-8 lead that it would never relinquish.
At first, it appeared that the Trevians would have no problem getting past the Hilltoppers, as New Trier raced out to an 11-1 lead in the opening game behind junior defensive specialist MC Magner’s success from the service line and Fauntleroy’s powerful spiking.
Glenbard West (33-4) toughened up toward the end of Game 1, however, and buoyed by a series of net violations and other errors, won the second game 25-23. The Hilltoppers opened up leads of 15-13 and 19-15 in Game 2 off of a couple missed spikes by New Trier senior outside hitter Brittani Steinberg, a couple of net violations and a key block by middle blocker junior Katie Ball.