West Aurora senior Natalie Mitchell entered this volleyball season facing a major decision about her future. She has since chosen to stop playing after high school and will study journalism at Kentucky. On Monday, she made sure her high school career would last at least one more match.
Mitchell, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter, had a match-high eight kills and put away the winning kill in each game as the Blackhawks beat crosstown rival East Aurora 25-22, 25-13 in the Class 4A Downers Grove North Regional quarterfinals.
West Aurora, now 9-22, got seven kills from Aiyanah Vega. Emma Gabel served five aces and Zella Arseneau recorded four kills. For East Aurora (3-28), Mariel Parra led with three kills and Adriana Rivera served two aces.
The Blackhawks advance to a semifinal against the third-seeded host Trojans (25-9) at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
East Aurora began both games well. The Tomcats forced a 15-15 tie in the first game before Mitchell's kill ended it. In the second, the score was 9-9 when Gabel went on a run at the service line. West Aurora scored 11 straight points to take control, and Mitchell's back-to-back kills finished off the game and the match.
Mitchell said the decision was not easy. "This club season was hard because I was back and forth," she said. She described being in the middle of significant recruiting activity and then questioning whether college volleyball was what she wanted. "To eventually come to terms with it and be like 'I'm ready to move on,' it was really tough."
West Aurora coach Alyssa Farney, who has coached Mitchell for all four of her varsity seasons, said the decision affected the start of the year. "Everyone has their ups and downs and I think she was working through the fact she wasn't going to play in college," Farney said. "She's overcome that a lot and she's increased her kills a ton." Farney also praised Mitchell's defense, noting a large number of digs and aces, and called her "a crucial all-around player."
Farney said she was glad Mitchell would get another match, calling the moment "bittersweet." Mitchell said she valued being trusted with the decisive points. "I'm so happy that my team can trust me to do stuff like that, last-point moments," she said.
East Aurora coach Jennifer Wilson said her team was missing two middle hitters and had to install a new rotation the Monday before the match. She credited her players for adjusting, and said of Mitchell: "She definitely can get up there and put it away and make adjustments she needs to at the net if the set isn't there."
Mitchell said she is looking ahead but trying to appreciate the present. "This whole season has been a little emotional," she said. "I'm ready to move on, but I'm still trying to soak all of this in."
