Eagles Look To Get Back To Title Game

Elgin, IL - A season ago, the Eagles were flying high into the CCAC conference tournament as they were the number 1 seed on a banner run. While this year has still been positive, the grind has been much more intense for JU. 

This season they enter as the #3 seed behind St. Xavier, and newcomer and ranked Viterbo. Those three matchups are what prevented the Eagles from having the identical record in conference play as they did a year ago. But still, the goal is the same, reach the final game, and come out on top. Last year, they reached the final game, but it was St. Ambrose who came away with the tournament crown. 

If the Eagles are cruising, it will be the 1-2 punch of Alyssa Gerzel and Yomailis Fernandez leading the way. They are the two returning starters from last year's run, and the team leaders here in 2024. They lead the team in kills, and are forces at the net. 

Newcomers Maisie Green and Jaclyn Riedl have been solid complimentary players all season long. Off of the bench, look for spark plug Issy Nick to dial up a few smashes as well. 

Emalee Wiley and the duo of Alina Romero and Reese McCutchan have settled into great rolls as well. Wiley took over for Kenia Diaz Vega, while Romero and McCutchan have done their part filling in for Lindsay Lawlor as the team's setter. It is very difficult to replace as much senior talent as the Eagles had a year ago, but this year's version of the Nest Protectors have done just fine. 

In their quarterfinal match, Judson will play host to Olivet Nazarene. The teams' lone meeting this year was on October 12th at Olivet, and was a five-set classic that saw the Eagles come out on top. That contest saw JU drop the first set, and trail 2 sets to one only to come back to win the fourth and fifth sets. Fernandez led with 22 kills in that game, Gerzel had 15, and Nick added 10 of her own. It was also a solid performance for Alina Romero as she had 29 of the team's 60 assists. 

This matchup figures to be just as competitive as the first with back and forth action. With a victory, Judson will either travel to St. Xavier on Thursday for the semi-final round, or host IU-Northwest. Unlike last year, the winner of the conference tournament will receive the lone automatic bid. The Eagles are looking to finish what they started a season ago. 

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