Photo Gallery |Mahomet-Seymour wins semifinal over DePaul

NORMAL - Mahomet-Seymour's Ellie Barker cheers with teammates Ava Yeakel, Erin Dallas and Anna Streicher after a point during second set action against DePaul College Prep during Friday's semifinal match at CEFCU Arena. The Bulldogs advanced to the title game after defeating the Rams in straights 25-18, 25-22. A day later, Mahomet-Seymour went on to win the Class 3A title, beating Limestone in an exciting three-setter 22-25, 25-22, 25-18. Below are 21 more photos from the opening match.

Photos: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

---

---

Keywords: Mahomet-Seymour State Volleyball Champions, DePaul Rams, State Volleyball, Mahomet Volleyball Team

State Volleyball |Calhoun sweeps Cissna Park to reach state volleyball championship match

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Kate Zipprich along with teammates Joy Hurley and Stella Gress celebrates Calhoun's semifinal victory over Cissna Park. The Warriors advance to Saturday's 1A title match in their program's first appearance in the volleyball state tournament.

---

NORMAL — The Calhoun Warriors wasted no time securing their spot in the Class 1A state volleyball championship, dispatching the Cissna Park Timberwolves in just 47 minutes during the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals at CEFCU Arena on Friday. The Warriors swept the semifinal match 25-16, 25-23, advancing to face Stockton for the state title.

Calhoun (38-2) controlled the match from the first whistle, seizing an early 5-0 lead in the opening set before Cissna Park (35-4) could get on the board with a kill from Sophie Duis. Powered by a balanced offensive attack and sharp defensive execution, the Warriors extended their lead to 17-7 after a powerful strike by Kate Zipprich. The Timberwolves struggled to recover, as Calhoun maintained their grip to close the set 25-16.

"It's been a remarkable season," Cissna Park head coach Josh Landon said after the game. "The grit and determination these girls have had all season long speaks for itself in terms of the deficits we have been able to overcome all year. I really felt like we put ourselves in a good situation despite losing that first set."

Regrouping for the second set, Cissna Park showed the resilience over and over again that Landon highlighted.

The Timberwolves traded points with Calhoun in a tightly contested battle featuring six ties in the first 14 points. Midway through the set, Cissna Park surged to a four-point lead, but the Warriors responded. With setter Lacy Pohlman orchestrating a crucial five-point run, Calhoun regained momentum, turning a 17-14 deficit into a 19-17 lead. From there, the Warriors maintained their composure to secure the two-set sweep.

"The handful of teams we played at the end of the season were outside dominate," Landon said. "They (Calhoun) possessed a middle attack we hadn't seen in several weeks. I'm not going to say that's the reason we weren't able to be successful today. We talked about defending that but you can talk all you want about defending a certain aspect of their game, but then it is a matter of executing it.

"We did that at times, and at times, we did not."

Zipprich paced Calhoun with 9 kills, while Joy Hurley added 8 and Abby Johnes contributed 6. Pohlman registered 24 assists, and Josie Hoagland led the defensive charge with 9 digs. Annie Wilson added 7 digs in a strong supporting effort.

For Cissna Park (35-4), Addison Lucht led all scorers with 12 kills and 6 digs. Duis and Josie Neukomm each contributed 6 kills, while Mady Marcott and Ella Schluter combined for 24 assists. Defensively, Kendyl Neukomm tallied 9 digs to anchor the Timberwolves’ back row.

Lucht, a junior who leads the team in kills with 351 heading into the state semifinal, said the loss, while disappointing, shouldn't ruin the team's championship weekend.

"There are hundreds of teams that wish they were in our shoes right now. I think we should take a step back and realize what a successful season we've had," she explained. The goal now being to come out with "a fresh mind and win the third place trophy."

Calhoun will meet Stockton, another first-time finalist, in the championship match on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

"This is what we have been working for. It's kind of a dream come true," Zipprich said beaming ear-to-ear. "All these girls are like my best friends. To be here with them, it can't get much better than this."

Hurley is confident in her team outlok against the Lady Blackhawks. Her conviction is backed by 240 kills, 43 aces and 196 digs in addition to the stats she racked up against the Timberwolves.

"We will get out there and do what we know how to do," she said confidently. "We set a goal at the beginning of the season and we are going to make it happen."

Meanwhile, Cissna Park looks to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish when they face Hartsburg-Emden in the third-place match at 9 a.m.

---

---

KEYWORDS: IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals, Calhoun Warriors, Cissna Park Timberwolves

Bulldogs firepower too much for DePaul, Mahomet-Seymour advances to Class 3A title match

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

NORMAL - Adaline Eisenmann keeps the ball in play during first set action against DePaul Prep at the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals on Friday. She recorded 22 digs to help the Bulldogs win their semifinal match in straight sets, 25-18, 25-22. Saturday, around 5:30 PM, Eisenmann and the team will face Limestone for the Class 3A title. Below: Addy Reigart goes above the net for a block in the second set.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

---

KEYWORDS: Mahomet-Seymour Athletics, IHSA State Volleyball, Volleyball State Championships

State Volleyball |Lady Blackhawks head to the championship match at state volleyball

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Katelyn Winters celebrates with her team center court after the Lady Blackhawks punched their ticket into the Class 1A state title game at the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals on Friday morning. Stockton will face Calhoun in the championship contest starting at 9 AM at CEFCU Arena.

---

NORMAL - In a thrilling three-set battle, Stockton rallied from a first-set deficit to defeat the Hartsburg-Emden 2-1 in the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals semifinal at CEFCU Arena.

The Stags, led by Alayna Briggs, took the opening set 25-12. However, the Lady Blackhawks responded with a dominant performance in the second and third sets, winning 25-20 and 25-21, respectively. Briggs tallied 20 kills, 1 ace, and 7 digs.

"We know that wasn't our game. In the second and third set the girls came alive and they were able to get the job done," said Stockton head coach Maddie Pontius said about lopsided loss in the first set. She attributed the drubbing to first-set jitters, something that first-time teams experience on the floor at CEFCU. "This was their first trip. They should be nervous. I'm just glad they were able to bounce back."

Madie Mammoser led Stockton's offense with 17 kills and 11 digs, while Kacy Wright contributed 19 assists, 10 digs, and 6 kills. Taylor Haas added 10 kills, and Katelyn Winters had 6 kills and 8 digs.

Lady Blackhawk senior Mattie Mammoser the first set loss lit a fire.

"I think we just kind of woke up. The first set was like a warm-up set. Then everything started going right," said Mammoser, who led Stockton's offensive effort with 17 kills.

For Hartsburg-Emden, Cambelle Hopkins had 8 kills and 11 digs, while A Briggs added 4 kills and 4 aces. Sadie Williams led the defense with 10 digs, and Celia Cross distributed 35 assists.

This is the first state final appearance for the Lady Blackhawks, who will face Calhoun in Saturday's championship match.

"It is an amazing feeling," said Pontius. "It is the first trip in school history. It is an incredible feeling. These girls have put in so much hardwork and effort. Just their focus to win and determination to win is amazing."

Calhoun defeated Cissna Park in straight sets in the other semifinal. The Stags, who have won one state title and three runner-up trophies, will play for third place.

---

---

KEYWORDS: IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals, Stockton Lady Blackhawks, Hartsburg-Emden Stags, State Championship Match, State Volleyball

Stockton Lady Blackhawks advance to Class 1A volleyball title game

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Stockton's Taylor Hess and Anna Blair celebrate their team's semifinal victory over small school powerhouse Hartsburg-Emden at the IHSA Volleyball State Finals on Friday. The Lady Blackhawks advanced to the title game against the Calhoun Warriors after winning, 12-25, 25-20, 25-21.

---

---

KEYWORDS: Hartsburg-Emden Volleyball, IHSA State Volleyball, State Championship, Stockton Volleyball