Less than a year ago, Taylr McNeil – then a freshman at Lakeville North – had the backing of a raucous Panthers student section that stretched from court-level up to the Xcel Energy Center concourse during the Class 3A state volleyball tournament.

Tuesday night at Eagan, about 50 of those same students showed up for a regular season road match and jeered her – respectfully.

Nary a bad word was audible, though “traitor” and the chant “we-don’t-need-her” were among the jabs.

McNeil, a 6-1 outside hitter now with the Wildcats, heard every word.

She laughed it off.

“It was weird,” McNeil said. “But when the fans get involved, it gets you even more pumped up. I knew they would do that; I switched schools. I don’t think any of them know the real reason, but that’s OK. I expected it and I was prepared for it.”

McNeil said she and her family moved to Eagan during the volleyball offseason to be closer to a family member battling Alzheimer’s disease – four houses away, to be exact.

“And he was here tonight,” McNeil, flashing her biggest smile of the evening, said of her grandfather.

He saw quite the show.

McNeil led No. 6 Eagan to a thrilling upset victory, knocking off No. 2 Lakeville North 25-19, 19-25, 24-26, 25-22, 15-13 on the Wildcats’ home court.

The Panthers’ Alyssa Goehner, also a sophomore, was superb finishing with 34 kills and 35 digs. But her former classmate got the upper hand.

“I won’t lie, it was tough,” said McNeil, who smacked 28 kills – including the match-winner – and absorbed 25 digs from her former teammates. “But I would have regretted it if we didn’t move.”

Eagan inherited a dynamite player.

McNeil had 27 kills last November in the Class 3A state championship match. She has already given a verbal commitment to join the Gophers, where she would pair with sister Kellie, a setter, for one year in the fall of 2014.

“We’ve had blue chip players before, and what they do is raise the level of play in the gym,” Wildcats coach Kathy Gillen said. “Everybody knows her for her right arm, but she’s gotten so much better this year defensively. You sometimes forget, she’s only 15. There’s still some coaching going on, things we want her to do.”

At first it appeared the best action Tuesday might be off the floor. Eagan’s fire alarm system blared late in game 1, setting off flashing strobe lights, a brief evacuation of the gymnasium and game officials scurrying to the rule book for "what-if" scenarios.

There was no fire, but the match was just heating up.

The alarm came during a Panthers timeout after Eagan went on a 12-1 run to take a 20-16 lead. Similar nail-biting bursts from the Wildcats were needed throughout the match, including a 5-1 deficit to start the deciding fifth game.

“I knew we had the potential and I knew we could do it, but [Lakeville North] is a great team,” McNeil said. “So many great players; I obviously know that.  I’m just glad [Eagan has] accepted me here.”