Effingham Captures Class 3A Volleyball Regional Crown

Effingham High School claimed its own regional championship Thursday.

Effingham High School claimed the championship of its own Class 3A Volleyball Regional Thursday evening and did it by beating a Mattoon squad that won over the Hearts just last week.

The Hearts downed Mattoon in two close sets. EHS won the opener 25-23, coming back from a deficit to do so. The Green Wave broke a 10-10 tie and ran off to a 19-12 lead. But the Hearts came back to tie the set at 20-20 on some nice serving by Natalie Carie.

The match was tied at 23-23 when Mattoon made an error and the Hearts took advantage and won the set, 25-23.

Once again the Green Wave went on the offense in the second set to take a 13-11 lead but the Hearts eventually got back on track and took an 18-16 lead. The Hearts went to game point at 24-22 but Mattoon tied the score at 24-24. The score was tied again at 25-25 when a kill by Lexi Chrappa and an error by the Green Wave gave the Hearts the match win.

Kiyah Kuhlman led the way in kills for the Hearts with 10. Carsyn Fearday finished with 26 assists. Carie had two aces and eight digs while Miranda Fox tallied 12 digs and Jacy Boatman 10.

Mattoon had won a regular season match October 16 over the Hearts, 25-22, 25-13.

The Hearts are now 20-17 on the season and will now face Mount Zion Monday at the Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin Sectional. The two Apollo Conference squads will meet at 5:30 p.m. while Highland will take on Taylorville in the second match at 6:30. The championship is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Class 3A Effingham Regional

Effingham -- Kuhlman, 10 kills, 1 dig; Fox, 12 digs; Martin, 5 digs; Fearday, 26 assists, 4 digs; Chrappa, 4 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs; Boatman, 6 kills, 1 ace, 10 digs; Carie, 8 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 8 digs