 They
would all have been wrong. That is why they play the games, after
all.
The Lincoln Lady Railers (19-17-1) took down the Senators (23-11)
from Springfield High School in two straight games Tuesday night,
25-23 and 25-21. Lincoln avenged a regular-season loss to SHS and,
more importantly, moved on to the sectional final on Thursday. The
Lady Railers are once again one of only 16 volleyball teams still
standing in the IHSA Class 3A tournament. For Lincoln, after a
less-than-satisfactory regular season, it is especially sweet to be
16 again.
The keys to the Railer victory were that they sustained momentum
once they had it, and they made fewer unforced mistakes than the
Senators. Volleyball is a game of momentum, and the Railers
certainly captured it and sustained it last night. The Railers came
to play and acted like they didn't want their season to end. They
played with more intensity and heart than I have seen most all year.
They did the unexpected.
In the evening's first game neither team could manage to get more
than a two-point lead at any point. There were more than 10 times
when the game was tied. Even as the game drew to a close, the
Railers were down by scores of 20-21 and 22-23. As the score stood
at 22-23, an Emma Anderson kill earned the Railers a side-out and
the serve. Molly Goodrich made two more excellent serves and
Anderson got her second kill in three plays to finish round one for
the Railers. Four out of the last seven points were ended by an
Anderson kill or a dink over the top of the SHS block.
The second game of the match found the Railers getting a big lead
early and hanging on late to capture the victory. The Railers built
leads of 7-4, 13-10, 18-13 and 22-15 on the way to the win. The
early lead was built in part by two successive blocks followed by a
kill, all from senior middle-hitter Laura Aughenbaugh. With the
momentum firmly in hand, Lincoln was able to hold on during a late
Springfield surge that earned the Senators five points while the
Railers could manage only two. That surge brought the score as close
as 23-20 in favor of the Railers. But, SHS could get no closer. The
final point of the match came when setter Molly Goodrich made
something good out of something not so good. An errant pass from the
Railer back row appeared to be going into the net on the Railer side
of the court when Goodrich popped it just slightly with her fist,
causing the ball to tip over the net and then fall to the Senator
side of the floor. The Lady Railer celebration began shortly
thereafter as the Railers realized that their season would go on.
At the net the Railers used their many weapons to pepper the
floor with point-winning kills. The Railers' front line was led by
Anderson with nine kills, followed by Hilary Hobler with five and
both of the Sheley girls (Hannah and Emily) knocking down three
each. Emily Sheley ran some especially nice slide moves to open up
space for her kills.
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The Railers also were more defensively aggressive at the net,
blocking many of the Senators' kill attempts. Aughenbaugh led the
Railers with three crucial blocks. Hobler went airborne against the
much taller Springfield front line and added two of her own blocks
on successive plays toward the end of game two.
The Railers were also propelled to victory by some excellent
serving from Goodrich and Anderson. Goodrich led the way with nine
service points and Anderson had five. Hannah McShane and Kayla Riggs
knocked in three more each. The Railers even garnered five aces
during the match, with Goodrich and Anderson having two each and
Samantha Lowman one. For the most part, the Railers also avoided the
momentum-killing unforced service errors that plagued them
throughout the regionals.
Digging balls off the floor to keep the Railers alive were Lowman
with 11 and McShane with six. The Railers were also able to
considerably cut down on their unforced errors on defense, which
allowed the team to sustain their offensive attack.
All in all it was a focused team effort by the Lady Railers that
led to the win.
In the other sectional semifinal at Mount Zion, Champaign
Centennial (33-5) used its height and numerous offensive weapons to
take out Chatham Glenwood (28-9) by scores of 25-21, 26-24. Once
again, no tears were shed in Lincoln at Glenwood's early departure,
although I was personally cheering for both teams to lose.
The sectional final, set for 7 p.m. Thursday night at Mount Zion
High School, will be a rematch between teams that met in last year's
sectional semifinal. It will also continue the long tradition of
these two volleyball programs bumping heads in the postseason.
Lincoln prevailed in last year's match in three hard-fought games.
Expect no less this year.
Centennial would have to be the overwhelming favorite this year.
NO ONE, however, will expect the Railers to win. How about you
ladies? If it's sweet to be 16, how great would it be to be eight?
Ready to bring some? That's exactly why they play the games.
GO, RAILERS!
[By RICK
L. HOBLER]
Respond to the writer at
rhobler@lccs.edu.
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