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Sweet Sixteen for St. Viator again

For the second time in three years, the St. Viator girls basketball team is enjoying a sweet ride through the IHSA Class 3A state tournament.

The top-seeded Lions are back in the Sweet 16 after a 49-31 triumph over No. 4 Resurrection on Tuesday night at the Woodstock North sectional semifinal.

St. Viator (21-9) will seek its first sectional crown in program history when it faces No. 6 Carmel (16-15) at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Lions will try to avenge a 54-51 loss at Carmel on Dec. 13.

Seniors Myia Clark (game-high 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists) and Olivia Solimene (10 points, 5 steals, 4 assists, 3 rebounds) each reached double figures for Viator.

They were key members of the Lions' 2016 team that reached the sectional championship, and last year's team which lost to Johnsburg in the sectional semifinal.

"We were pretty heartbroken when we lost at this point last year," Solimene said. "We bounced back from last year.

"We played hard but we were a little shaky at the beginning of this game. We weren't playing as well as we thought we could on the offensive end, but defense really helped us and won the game for us."

A steal and 14-foot pull up jumper by Solimene and a 6-footer and 2 free throws by Clark had the Lions up 6-4 after one quarter.

A 3-pointer by senior guard Cori Thompson got the Bandits to within 8-7 early in the second quarter but Viator went on a 13-2 run to take control.

Clark's 3-pointer made it 15-7 before Maddie Fitzpatrick's steal and assist to Solimene for a layup increased the lead to 17-7. Sam DeJulio then forced a turnover and tossed an assist to Solimene for another layup, and the Lions were back on track with a 19-7 advantage.

Junior Bridget DeZellar (6 point) helped start the Lions' fastbreak with her game-high 9 rebounds.

Clark scored 16 points in the second half when the Lions led by double-digits through all 16 minutes.

On Jan. 22, St. Viator posted a 54-40 nonconference homecourt win over Resurrection.

"We knew we couldn't play the same way we did that last game," Clark said. "We knew they would come back after us. We told ourselves we needed to get better and play our game."

"We just wanted to take care of business," Solimene said. "This was a nice win."

Resurrection (17-12) got a nice game from senior Veronca Kieres, who scored 16 points.

"I couldn't be prouder of my group," said Bandits coach Jon Palicki, who is in his second season after serving as an assistant at St. Viator. "Since that loss to St. Viator in January, we won a conference title and a regional championship.

"I love my five seniors (Thompson, Kieres, Mary Quinn, Danielle LaSusa and Madison Van Horn). The coolest thing about this group is that they loved each other and that is something, that no matter the results, you can't take away."

Viator's defense was able to hold the Bandits well under their offensive average in the mid 50s.

"This game started with defense," said Lions coach Jason Raymond, who has his team playing in a third straight sectional in his third season. "We didn't score very well in the first quarter. I think we played a little too fast.

"But our defense, which has been down the last few weeks, kept us in the game. It allowed us to settle into the game."

Raymond expected the Bandits to be a difficult task.

"They're a tough team," he said. "They're scrappy, they get after you on the defensive end and they cause turnovers with their aggressiveness. We knew coming in we were in for a game because we played them already. With the type of team they were and the type of coach Jon Palicki is, we knew they'd come out and give us a tough game."

Palicki had the same respect for St. Viator.

"I give props to my friends over there (at St. Viator)," he said. "I hope they go far.

"We're going in the right direction. I couldn't be prouder of my seniors. They gave everything they had and we have no regrets."

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