Lexie Lobdell lifts Metea past Oswego; Naperville Central rolls

For a moment, Lexie Lobdell saw potentially her last high school volleyball match flash before her eyes.Landing on an Oswego girl’s foot, Lobdell rolled her ankle.“I was panicking,” said the Metea Valley senior, “but once I sat down and moved it around I was OK.”Lobdell hardly let the brief scare slow her down, smashing eight kills to go with nine digs in Metea’s 25-16, 25-21 win during first-round action of the Class 4A Geneva Regional.Naperville Central beat Bartlett 25-12, 25-12 in Monday’s second match.“She rolled that ankle and she said, ‘I don’t want to come out,’” Metea coach Dave MacDonald said. “As her coach, I don’t want to take her out.”If MacDonald and Metea (18-12) aren’t ready to bid good-bye to Lobdell, it’s with good reason.The first four-year varsity starter in the program’s history, the senior outside will leave as the all-time leader in kills, aces and digs. Last year, Lobdell led Metea to its first conference championship and a regional final.“We’re going to apply for a fifth year,” MacDonald kidded. “The seniors, they’re so driven, and especially Lexie. She wants that regional so bad.”Metea, which advances to Tuesday match’s against Geneva, grabbed control Monday out the gate. Aces by Natalie Krasuski and Claire Rothenberger started things, and a block by freshman Mikaila Dowd got Game 1 to 9-3.“It was great to set the tempo,” MacDonald said. “I think we had Oswego back on their heels.” Alexis Bass had four kills and Metea setters Colleen Shanahan and Miranda Cada each added 10 assists.Oswego (7-20), with just three seniors, needed time to adjust to the speed of the match.Once of those seniors, outside Payton Poulter, recently returned from a concussion only to roll an ankle in practice Friday. Poulter was in a boot all weekend, but tried to give it a go Monday.“We have a young team, and in this environment, I think they were just nervous,” Oswego coach Traci Weiss said.Poulter and Lyndsie Anders each had two kills and Katelyn Burke six digs and six assists for Oswego.A pair of big runs fueled Naperville Central (18-18) in Monday’s second match. Phoebe Havenaar’s quick-set kill, one of her four to go with three blocks, sparked a 9-0 run that extended the margin to 21-9 in Game 1. The Redhawks were sluggish to start the second game and even trailed 8-6, but a 9-1 run capped off by one of Sam Herron’s eight kills settled things.“We got things figured out and our defense picked it up,” Central coach Jeff Danbom said.Next up for the Redhawks is Naperville North, which swept both matches with Central in conference.“They have a good setter and two good middles,” Danbom said. “Both Napervilles in the playoffs should be exciting.”Natalie Moll had three kills and Annie Sobotka for Bartlett (7-21), which graduates just four seniors.“Same thing that’s happened all season to us happened [Monday],” Bartlett coach Katie Matt said. “We push, keep things close and then make a few mistakes and runs happen.”