Neuqua Valley will not play for the 17th IHSA boys volleyball state championship on Saturday night at Hoffman Estates High School.
The Wildcats rallied in the third game, but Buffalo Grove won their semifinal match 25-23, 20-25, 25-22.
Buffalo Grove had a 23-17 lead in Game 3 before Neuqua pulled within 23-21 and 24-22 before the Bison closed it out. Neuqua (37-4) will play Providence Catholic (35-2) in the third-place game at 4 p.m.
Buffalo Grove (31-5) will take on defending state champion Wheaton Warrenville South (33-7) in the championship match at 5:15 p.m.
WW South won both times the teams met in March, winning in two games at the Bison Battle and in three games at the Tiger Classic.
The Tigers advanced with a three-game win in the early semifinal, beating the top-ranked Celtics 20-25, 25-19, 25-23 to advance to the state championship match for the fifth time. WW South is 4-0 when playing for the title, winning championships in 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2007.
The Bison will be making their championship match debut, having never placed higher than fourth at the state finals in four previous appearances.
BOX SCORE: Sean Harmon had 36 assists, Jake Blackman had 11 kills and two blocks, Brian Clark had 11 kills and two blocks, Collin Adler had six kills, Derek Menendez had six kills and three blocks and Rob Bauer had six kills.
Leave a comment