Inspired Rives leads Naperville Central past WW South

Haley Rives, a defensive specialist on the Naperville Central volleyball team, honored her Aunt Lori by putting her name on the back of her pink shirt during the Redhawks’ and opponent Wheaton Warrenville South’s Volley for the Cure event Monday in Naperville.

Rives honored the Redhawks, however, with her serving, as her accuracy in the second game allowed Naperville Central to wrap up the DuPage Valley Conference match in two games, 25-22, 25-21 in front of a packed house.

“She rocked it out,” Naperville Central coach Brie Isaacson said of Rives. “We do serving drills with Haley in practice. There’s been times where Haley struggled to get out of pressure situations in practice. That really prepared her for tonight.”

This is the third time Naperville Central and Wheaton Warrenville South held Volley for the Cure together. It is estimated more than $40,000 was raised this year. Players from both teams had a name of someone they know or are related to who has dealt with cancer.

“Our goal was to show the girls life is bigger than volleyball, and that we have the opportunity to be a part of something and help give back to a cause that has touched everyone,” said Isaacson, whose setter, Abbi Williamson, lost her mom to breast cancer last April. “It was important to us that we showed Abbi we were supporting her because this is an extremely difficult time for her and her family. “It’s the one time of year it’s not about the game.”

“It’s always an exciting time,” Wheaton Warrenville South coach Bill Schreier added. “What Central does and what we do is always really special. It’s such a big night and an important match. I thought our girls did a great job.”

Rives’ serving came in handy in Game 2, when Naperville Central (13-7, 7-1) was trailing Wheaton Warrenville South (7-13, 4-5) 12-6 — the biggest lead either team had on one another the entire match. Her five service points, along with Tiger errors and a kill from Kendall Ward, tied the game at 12.

Five ties later and the game knotted at 21, Rives was serving again. She helped Naperville Central score the final six points with the final coming from another Ward kill.

“It was great,” Rives said. “We knew we had great competition too, so we knew we had to work hard to finish in two (games).”

In Game 1, there were nine ties. The largest lead was Naperville Central at 14-10. The last three points were scored by the Redhawks on two Wheaton Warrenville South errors and a block from Nikki Connors and Alysia Baznik.

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