EHS Drops Regional Title Match to Mattoon

OLNEY -- Effingham High School saw its volleyball season come to an end with a loss to Mattoon in the Class 3A Olney Regional championship Thursday.

The Green Wave avenged its first loss of the season to the Hearts with 25-16, 25-16 scores. EHS had beaten Mattoon after the Green Wave had racked up 22 victories. The Hearts also had beaten Mattoon last year in a semifinal regional contest.

In the second set, Mattoon was trailing Effingham 7-1 but rallied for six straight points and pulled out the win.

The Hearts finish out the season with a 23-13 mark. Shanon Daugherty led EHS in aces with three while Kallie Koester had six kills. Felicia Totten led the Hearts in assists with nine while Deedra Myers had seven digs. Kelli Utz had two blocks.

Mattoon (30-3) advances to the Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin Sectional Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Rochester, a 25-12, 25-20 winner over Taylorville to claim the Mount Zion Regional. In the opening match Tuesday, Bethalto Civic Memorial faces Jacksonville at 6 p.m. Bethalto defeated Greenville 25-16, 25-16 to win the Greenville Regional while Jacksonville upset top-seeded Quincy Notre Dame 25-21, 22-25, 25-21 to claim the Chatham Glenwood Regional.

EHS Statistics

Ko. Utz, 1 kill, 2 assists, 2 digs; Myers, 3 kills, 7 digs; Donaldson, 1 assist, 1 block; Koester, 1 ace, 6 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs; Ke. Utz, 1 assist, 6 digs, 2 blocks; Totten, 2 kills, 9 assists, 1 dig; Daugherty, 3 aces, 1 kill, 1 block; Ramey, 1 ace, 3 kills 2 assists, 2 digs