WSS Advances to Title Match, Newton to Play For Third

NORMAL -- The Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg Hatchets will play for the Class 1A State Volleyball Tournament championship after battling to a 27-25, 24-26, 25-19 victory Friday at Illinois State University's Redbird Arena.

The Hatchets zipped out to a quick lead in the opening set but Durand eventually fought back to tie the score at 9-9. It was tied 11 more times before Windsor/Stew-Stras went out at 27-25 on a kill by Megan Schlechte. With the score at 25-25, Schlechte dropped down a kill on a set by Mackenzi Tabbert to tie the score at 25-25. Schlechte then knocked down another kill to push WSS ahead and took the match on her fifth straight kill.

Durand fought back in the second set for a 26-24 win. Once again the affair was back and forth throughout. Durand held a 21-17 lead but here came WSS. The Hatchets pulled within 22-21 and an error by Durand tied the score at 22-22.

The score was knotted at 23-23 and 24-24 before Durand's Katie Asche pushed her team ahead with a kill and ended the game at 26-24 with another kill on a set by McKenzie Damon.

WSS took the early lead in the final set and went up to 5-1. The Hatchets were pretty much in control, leading throughout until Durand pulled within 17-16. WSS managed to stay ahead and never relinquished the lead. A kill by Kasey Bean made the score 22-18 and an ace serve by Taylor Rentfro put the Hatchets up 23-18. Durand scored another point but the Hatchets went to 23-19 on a service error, pushed up to 24-19 on a kill by Bean and ended the match on a kill by Schlechte at 25-19.

M. Schlechte led the team in kills with 29 while Bean added 10. Tabbert had 48 sets and three aces. Schlechte and Mikayla Haddock finished with 15 digs each. Schlechte had 31 points and Bean added 10.

In the opening match, Payseon Seymour defeated Newark 25-21, 25-13.

Windsor/Stew-Stras will now face Payson Seymour at 10:30 a.m. for the Class 1A State championship. Durand and Newark meet at 9 a.m. for third place.

The recognition for the Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg squad will take place approximately four hours following the presentation of IHSA awards Saturday.

Firetrucks will meet the team in Windsor and escort them to Stew-Stras High School. Cake and punch will be served at the gym when the team arrives.

In the Class 2A State Tournament, Newton fell victim to Quincy Notre Dame in two sets, 25-19, 28-26.

In the opening set, Quincy took the early lead but the Eagles fought back to lead at 9-8 on an error by Notre Dame. The Eagles went ahead 11-8 on a kill by Abby Frohning with a set by Maddi Hemrich.

Newton held a lead until Quincy Notre Dame tied at 14-14 on an attack error and moved ahead on another Newton error. The lead was pushed to 21-17 before Newton scored again. Newton trailed 22-18 before Notre Dame went to 23-18 on a kill by Molly Penn. The lead stood at 24-19 on another Penn kill and the Raiders took the set at 25-19 on a kill by Sydney Hummert.

In the second set, Quincy again took the early lead. Newton fought back to lead 6-3 and held an 11-4 lead on back-to-back kills by Frohning. The Eagles were ahead until Notre Dame tied at 18-18. Newton still led until the Raiders went ahead 20-21. Newton tied at 21-21, 22-22, 23-23, 24-24, 25-25 and 26-26. Meridith Siebers put down a kill to move Notre Dame ahead 27-26 and the Raiders won on a kill by Hummert, 28-26.

Newton was led by Frohning with 15 kills and 15.5 points, Hemrich with 16 sets and Kelsi Geltz with 17 digs.

Champaign St. Thomas More is taking on Elgin in the second match.

Quincy Notre Dame will meet the winner of that match Saturday at 1:55 p.m. for the state title. Newton takes on the loser of that match at 12:25 p.m. for third place.

Class 1A State Tournament

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg -- Reynolds, 1 blocked shot, .5 points; Gentry, 7 kills, 2 digs, 7 points; A.  Schlechte, 5 digs; Tabbert, 1 kill, 48 sets, 3 aces, 6 digs, 4 points; M. Schlechte, 29 kills, 1 set, 1 ace, 15 digs, 1 blocked shot, 31 points; Rentfro, 1 kill, 2 aces, 2 digs, 3 points; Haddock, 1 ace, 15 digs, 1 point; Bean, 10 kills, 6 digs, 10 points; Brown, 1 kill, 1 dig, 1.5 points; Gratz, 2 sets, 3 digs; Roney, 6 kills, 1 set, 5 digs, 7 points

Class 2A State Tournament

Newton -- Meinhart, 1 ace, 4 digs, 1 point; Probst, 5 kills, 1 dig, 5.5 points; Smith, 3 kills, 3 sets, 1 ace, 1 dig, 4 points; Earnest, 2 kills, 1 ace, 5 digs, 4.5 points; Hemrich, 16 assists, 1 ace, 5 digs, 1 point; Frohning, 15 kills, 9 sets, 9 digs, 15.5 points; Geltz, 17 digs; Kuhl, 2 kills, 1 set, 1 dig, 3 points; Bierman, 2 kills, 1 dig, 2.5 points