Prairie Central rallies past Herscher in three-set battle

Hawks flipped last year’s script, beating Herscher 2-1 behind balanced play and tough serving


FAIRBURY - What a difference a year makes. In the 2024 season opener, Herscher handed Prairie Central its third straight loss. This time, the Hawks flipped the script, pulling out a three-set victory Thursday night over the visiting Tigers to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Prairie Central dropped the opening set 23-25, but showed composure under pressure to even the match with a 25-23 win in the second. The Hawks then dominated the deciding set, cruising to a 25-9 finish.

"There was a very long delay tonight and the girls did a great job of pushing through it and finishing out the set for the match win," said head coach Kirsten Smith. "It was definitely a late home match but it was worth it in the end. I am so proud of these girls."

Balance proved to be the difference. Outside hitter Miranda Hari turned in a standout all-around performance with 12 kills, 12 digs, nine service points and three aces. Setter Kyah Creek directed the offense with 22 assists and added seven kills. At the net, Mia Elliott contributed three assisted blocks while scoring 12 service points and four aces. Defensively, libero Paige Young anchored the back row with 18 digs as the Hawks’ coverage frustrated Herscher in the final two sets.

"The girls played as a unit so well tonight and definitely gave their solid effort," Smith added. "Our setter, Kyah Creek, did a great job at seeing both sides of the court and knowing when to tip."

The Hawks are off to a stronger start than last year, when they finished 15-22 and seventh in the Illini Prairie Conference. They will next test their progress at the Livingston County Tournament on Saturday.

Earlier, Prairie Central's sophomore squad lost in straight sets 25-15, 25-20. The freshman squad also took down their opponents after third-set rally, winning 25-22, 24-26, 16-14.

Prairie Central volleyball win, Herscher vs Prairie Central 2025, Livingston County Tournament preview, Illini Prairie Conference volleyball, Miranda Hari performance
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Ten local players earn all-conference volleyball recognition in Illini Prairie Conference

The all-conference list reflects depth across local programs, with STM accounting for half of the area selections.


URBANA - The Illini Prairie Conference released its all-conference volleyball teams last week, and 10 players from St. Thomas More, Unity, and St. Joseph-Ogden earned postseason recognition for their performances throughout the fall.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Unity's Jillian Schlittler
St. Thomas More led the area with five selections after finishing 23-13 and second in the league at 7-2. Seniors Campbell Phillips and Cassidy Monahan were named to the First Team, helping the Sabers post wins over four of the five Champaign County opponents on their schedule. Their only local loss came in a narrow 2-1 setback against St. Joseph-Ogden. Senior Sophia Hill earned a Second Team spot, while senior Audrey Gooding and junior Juju Kerr collected Honorable Mention honors.

Unity had two players represented on this year’s list. Senior Jillian Schlittler, who guided the Rockets to a regional championship, earned First Team honors. Sophomore Olivia Williams added an Honorable Mention nod. The Rockets started hot with wins over Bismarck-Henning, LeRoy, and Mattoon before their season ended in the sectional semifinal against Class 2A runner-up Bloomington Central Catholic.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
SJO's Emma McKinney
St. Joseph-Ogden placed three players on the all-conference lists. Senior Emma McKinney was named to the Second Team, while juniors Hadley McDonald and Emerson Williams received Honorable Mentions. The Spartans closed the season at 13-21 but earned notable wins over Danville, Kankakee, and Rock Island.

Below is the complete list of Illini Prairie Conference all-conference honorees for the 2024 volleyball season.


First Team All-Conference

Name - Grade - School
1 Kampbell Niepagen Jr. BCC
2 Kayt Miller Jr. IVC
3 Mady Melton Sr. MHS
4 Cassidy Monahan Sr. STM
5 Rosie Krenz Sr. BCC
6 Trinity Cheek Jr. PTHS
7 Jillian Schlittler Sr. UNITY
8 Aubrey Fair Sr. BCC
9 Paige Young Sr. PC
10 Campbell Phillips Sr. STM

Second Team All-Conference

Name - Grade - School
1 Jayce Taylor Jr. IVC
2 Ashley Stiverson Sr. MHS
3 Addison Hoeniges Sr. BCC
4 Ellie Dirks So. PBL
5 Morgan Dewald Sr. PTHS
6 Miranda Hari Jr. PC
7 Emma McKinney Sr. SJO
8 Kendall Fair Jr. BCC
9 Airiana Bell Sr. RHS
10 Sophia Hill Sr. STM

Honorable Mention

Name - Grade - School
1 Trinity Miller Sr. PTHS
2 Olivia Williams So. UNITY
3 Kyah Creek Sr. PC
4 Audrey Gooding Sr. STM
5 Juju Kerr Jr. STM
6 Regan Baker So. BCC
7 Josie Certa Sr. BCC
8 Addison Finet Sr. MHS
9 Josie Roseman Sr. RHS
10 Hadley McDonald Jr. SJO
11 Emerson Williams Jr. SJO


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TAGS: illini prairie conference volleyball awards, st thomas more five all-conference players, unity rockets volleyball first team schlittler, st joseph-ogden volleyball all-conference honorees, central illinois high school volleyball postseason recognition
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Lydia Kilgus leads Prairie Central to convincing victory over Heyworth

Prairie Central dominated Heyworth in straight sets, winning 25-7, 25-23 to close their early-season schedule.


FAIRBURY - The Prairie Central volleyball team made a powerful statement in their final non-conference matchup of the season, sweeping Heyworth in straight sets, 25-7, 25-23. The victory on September 29 brings the Hawks' overall record to 12-9 as they head into the heart of their conference schedule.

The Sentinel's Illini Prairie Conference sports coverage Serving was a key factor in the Hawks' success, with Lydia Kilgus delivering 8 service points and Charlee Popejoy adding 7 service points and an ace. On offense, Miranda Hari led the attack with 10 kills, while Kyah Creek orchestrated the plays with 15 assists.

"The girls came out and wanted the win tonight in their homecoming week," said head coach Kirsten Smith. "It was great to see them really come out strong and together, especially that first set."

The defensive effort was anchored by Paige Young, who tallied 17 digs. Prairie Central now turns its attention to a busy week of conference play.

The Hawks will travel tonight to face Rantoul (10-8 overall, 0-2 conference) before returning home on Thursday to host St. Joseph-Ogden (7-11 overall, 1-1 conference).

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Backtrack |
Prairie Central battles but falls short to Lexington in tight home matchup

Highlights, Heartbreaks, and Hustle:
Back at the end of August, Prairie Central dropped a hard-fought match to Lexington but showed promise across all levels. The JV team earned a solid 2-0 victory to highlight the night.


FAIRBURY – A long rally here, a dig there, and a crowd that kept holding its breath — Prairie Central’s matchup with Lexington on Sept. 2 had all the energy of midseason volleyball, even if it ended in disappointment for the home team.

The Sentinel's Illini Prairie Conference sports coverage The Lady Hawks dropped a tight 2-0 decision to the visiting Minutemen, falling 25-19 in the opener and 27-25 in a second-set nail-biter that could’ve gone either way. For head coach Kirsten Smith’s squad, it was one of those early-season games that reveal a team’s character as much as its record.

“We came out a little slow tonight but we were able to get some energy as we went on,” Smith said. “The second set was exciting but Lexington got us on a five-point run that swayed the momentum in the opposite direction. Lexington played solid defense and played scrappy when it mattered, keeping our hitters from getting the kills we wanted.”

Prairie Central had its share of bright spots in the loss. Charlee Popejoy led all servers with six service points and two aces, while Kinley Elliott paced the attack with seven kills. Setter Kyah Creek distributed the ball efficiently, finishing with 17 assists, and sophomore libero Paige Young showed her defensive chops by collecting 18 digs. The front line saw contributions from Mia Elliott, who recorded two assisted blocks to slow Lexington’s momentum when the Hawks needed it most.

The loss comes on the heels of a two-set defeat to Illini Prairie Conference rival Pontiac (25-23, 25-18), but it follows a solid showing in the early-season tournament, where Prairie Central swept both Dwight and Tri-Point in straight sets. Those results, paired with Smith’s steady focus on growth and chemistry, suggest a squad capable of tightening up as the season wears on.

“We’re proud of our JV team as they really came alive against Lexington today,” Smith said, noting that the younger groups continue to make big strides. The JV earned a solid 2-0 victory (25-20, 25-16), while the freshman team battled through three sets before falling 25-15, 15-25, 15-6.


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Backtrack: Highlights, Heartbreaks, and Hustle is the Sentinel's retrospective look back, highlighting games and athletic performances that might have been lost or overlooked in the regular season chaos.
TAGS: Prairie Central Lady Hawks volleyball, Lexington Minutemen volleyball, Illinois high school volleyball recap, Fairbury sports news, Prairie Central vs Lexington 2025
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