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SPALDING -- Powers North Central volleyball coach Rick Mick recently expressed concern about facing rival Carney-Nadeau in a third dual match this season.
As it turned out, his concerns were legitimate as the Jets escaped with a hard-fought 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23) victory over the Wolves in a Division 4 district tournament opener here Monday night.
The Jets (8-14-1), who won both regular-season matches in three sets, visit second-ranked Crystal Falls Forest Park tonight at 5. The Wolves finished 4-15-2.
"They were hungry and played very well tonight," Mick said. "That's exactly why it's so hard to beat a team three times. Nobody's going to give you anything. You have to take it. We told the girls 'don't get caught up with their noise.' We're going to hear even more of that at the next match. We're going to have a big challenge on Wednesday."
North Central took a seemingly-comfortable 17-8 lead on a service ace by senior Mylie Luedtke in the finale.
The Wolves, however, weren't ready to call it a night.
North Central still led 21-16 after the Wolves committed a service error.
After C-N got a sideout on a kill by freshman Jenah Ernest, the Jets committed three service errors in a row, enabling the Wolves to climb within 21-20.
The Jets gained a 24-20 cushion after a kill by senior Amilia Eichhorn.
C-N trimmed its deficit to 24-23 on a kill by freshman Lauren Eichhorn before North Central secured the decision on a kill by Amilia Emilia Eichhorn.
"We practiced very, very hard and worked on our passing and serving," C-N coach Mackenzie Kazmierski said. "We had been struggling with our serving. I'm super proud of the way they performed. The girls worked very hard. I think our girls got a little tired. They expended a lot of energy. They were happy to take a set from North Central. They beat us in three in both regular-season matches."
North Central scored the first four points in the third set before committing a hitting miscue.
The Wolves, however, rallied to tie the score at nine on a kill by senior Blake Polfus-Coleman.
It was tied at 15 before the Wolves committed three consecutive passing errors.
C-N was still within 19-17 after a Jets' defensive mistake.
North Central then got a sideout on a service miscue and extended its lead to 22-17 on back-to-back kills by sophomore Autumn Triest.
The Wolves shaved their deficit to 22-19 before Triest blocked a shot by Ernest for a sideout and four-point cushion.
Amelia Eichhorn then recorded a kill before the Jets clinched that set.
The first set provided an example of what was to come as the Wolves grabbed a 5-1 lead on a Jets' hitting error.
Senior Addysyn DeAngelo shaved North Central's deficit to three points on a kill.
The Jets then committed back-to-back hitting miscues as the Wolves gained a 7-2 lead.
North Central got within 9-8 on an ace by junior Ella Mick.
The score was tied at 13 before a pair of service errors and a hitting miscue caused the Wolves to go down by three points.
The score was tied at 22 before the Wolves had three straight service errors, enabling the Jets to take the opener.
In the second set, the Wolves gained a 12-8 lead on a kill by freshman CeCe Corrigan.
The Jets closed within 14-12 before C-N's Lauren Eichhorn dug up the ball and turned it into a kill for a sideout and three-point edge.
North Central then trailed 17-12 following a passing error, forcing it to use a time-out.
The Jets were within 19-17 after the Wolves committed a service error.
A kill by Ernest then gave the Wolves a sideout and a 20-17 cushion.
North Central rallied to tie the score at 22 before C-N scored the last three points to take the second set.
"They put up a fight," North Central junior Ella Mick said. "They definitely played better than before. It's rough sometimes, but at the end of the day you're just playing to win. It felt nice at the end. We found our rhythm near the end of the third set. We're excited about getting to play another match. We're going to try our best. We've got to play as a team."
Ernest led the Wolves at the net with 13 kills and a block. Senior Paige Jardeen added six kills to go with five aces, 25 assists and 15 digs. Corrigan provided them with five kills and 12 digs and Lauren Eichhorn finished with four kills and eight digs.
"We can definitely build on this," Kazmierski said. "We have some powerful hitters for next year."
Carney-Nadeau -- Jardeen (five aces, six kills, 25 assists, 15 digs); Eichhorn (one ace, four kills, one assist, eight digs); Polfus-Coleman (one ace, four kills, two assists, six digs); Romero (one ace, one kill, five digs); Ernest (13 kills, one block, one assist, five digs; Corrigan (five kills, two assists, 12 digs).