(Sugar Grove, IL.) – The final day of the 31-team Chiefs' Invitational Tournament pitted Waubonsee against Lansing (MI.) Community College in one of eight morning matches. The Stars entered the contest undefeated (3-0) while the Chiefs (1-1) were coming off a late night loss to Muskegon (MI.) Community College. After falling behind two games to none, Waubonsee found some reserve energy and rallied to win the next three games for the comeback victory.
Lansing utilized its height along the front line to control play in the first game. The Stars held a commanding 23-16 lead when Waubonsee made a frantic comeback. The Chiefs tallied the next six points despite a pair of Lansing timeouts. However, the Stars were able to regroup and take the game 25-22.
In game two Lansing gradually built a 20-13 lead. The Chiefs battled back to get within 22-19 after a kill by Sidney Fedor. A successful block by the Chiefs made it 23-21 prompting the Stars to call timeout. After the break Anna Friedlund got Waubonsee within one point with a kill. However, a Chiefs' service error and a Lansing ace ended the game 25-22.
Waubonsee held an early lead in game three before Lansing battled back to take a 15-13 lead. The Chiefs made a frantic comeback and pulled ahead 22-21 before Lansing called timeout. A kill by Kayla Battle put Waubonsee in front 24-21 and the Chiefs won the game when Lansing failed to get the ball back over the net during the next volley.
The fourth game was tightly contest from the outset. Another kill by Battle knotted the score at 17 as the Chiefs booked six straight points to grab a 21-17 advantage. After a Stars' timeout a Maizy Larson spike put the Chiefs in front 22-18. Three straight Waubonsee miscues got the Stars even at 23-all and the Chiefs called timeout. A Waubonsee block just barely landed in bounds to get the Chiefs to game point where a block by Battle won it to force a fifth and deciding game.
Midway through the fifth game the Stars got the upper hand grabbing an 8-5 lead. A spike by Emma King sparked a quick 3-0 run by Waubonsee to tie the game. After a Lansing timeout the Stars tallied the next three points to force the Chiefs to call time. Waubonsee then scored two quick points to pull within one at 11-10 and the Stars called timeout in response. Moments later a return shot by the Stars was wide right and the game was tied at 11-all. Battle then registered another kill to give the Chiefs the lead. Waubonsee then scored two more points off blocks to get to match point at 14-11. The Stars staved off defeat for a minute by winning the next point, but Battle was able to end it with an emphatic kill moments later.
Battle finished the match with 15 kills and a couple of blocks. King registered 13 kills and 15 digs, while Jones recorded 39 assists, 12 digs and three solo blocks. Larson ended up with 10 kills, Allie Cross contributed 22 digs and Kendall Iversen booked three serving aces in the victory.