Lincoln-Way East is on a four-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while York is on an eight-game streak of away wins (also dating back to last season): one of those streaks is about to end. The Griffins will host the Dukes at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Tuesday, Lincoln-Way East earned a 2-0 victory over Plainfield North. The Griffins haven't had any issues with the Tigers recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
While Lincoln-Way East won a shutout, things came down to the wire in the first set they played. The match finished with set scores of 25-23, 25-18.
Austin Reutter was the offensive standout of the game as he had four digs and two aces. Those four digs gave him a new career-high. Nick Klawitter also deserves some recognition as he served his first ace of the season.
Meanwhile, York hadn't done well against Glenbard West recently (they were 0-8 in their previous eight matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Dukes narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Hilltoppers 2-1.
The match was a true back-and-forth as no team won consecutive sets, but in the end it was York who won the one that mattered. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 25-22, 19-25, 25-22.
York's win bumped their record up to 7-2. As for Lincoln-Way East, their victory bumped their record up to 7-1.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday's contest: Lincoln-Way East has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 4 aces per game. It's a different story for York, though, as they've been averaging only 2.2 aces. Given Lincoln-Way East's sizable advantage in that area, the Dukes will need to find a way to close that gap.
Lincoln-Way East skirted past York 2-1 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Griffins repeat their success, or do the Dukes have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
