High School Girls Volleyball
Lady Railers win Class 3A Sectional Championship in epic fashion over Normal U-High
Team sets a new record for wins in a season with 34

 

[November 02, 2023] 

The Lady Railers completed the most epic comeback in recent volleyball history on Wednesday night as they overcame a huge deficit in set two to defeat the Normal University High Pioneers for the Class 3A Sectional Championship hosted by Springfield Southeast High School.

Lincoln was in control for much of set one, winning 25-21. But in set two, it was all Pioneers early on as they built a 14-7 lead over Lincoln. With senior Taryn Stoltzenburg at the service line, Lincoln not only overcame the deficit but they also took a 19-14 lead over the Pioneers. The two teams battled until the very end, with Lincoln prevailing 25-23 in set two.

Without a doubt, the Lady Railers stunned the no. 1 ranked Pioneers. Lincoln entered the contest ranked no. 4 in the state of Illinois, according to MaxPreps.

Railer Nation, be proud of your sectional champions!

Set one

The Pioneers started set one with a 2-0 lead but after Alyssa Company and Peyton Sasse got in a groove in that front row, the score was quickly tied 2-2. Company would battle back with another kill to tie the score 3-3.

After U-High took the lead on a kill, Lincoln tied the set again. This story would repeat itself until a kill by Kloe Froebe put Lincoln up for good, 6-5 the score. There was no looking back by Lincoln from this point on. Sasse’s ace gave Lincoln an 8-5 advantage.

After the Pioneers unintentionally set the ball to Froebe over the net, her kill made the score 9-5 and the Pioneers coach called a timeout. Lincoln went on to take an 11-5 lead on a kill by Froebe that literally went off the head of the blocker on the other side of the net. Froebe was just beginning to heat up and her kill from the middle allowed Lincoln a 13-8 lead. Lincoln earned another point on the block by Company and Addy Qualters, making the score 14-9.

The Pioneers put down two kills in a row to make the score 14-11. Next it was Sasse’s turn and her massive hit resulted in a kill that bounced off the U-High defender’s face and of course this prompted Railer Nation to chant, “In your face!”

The Pioneers were ranked no. 1 for good reason, with a trio of amazing hitters in Rachel Ogunleye, Levyn Snow and Laney Snow. Another kill by U-High and the Pioneers were showing no signs of backing down.

Meanwhile, Isabella McKinney had an incredible serve for U-High and after her two aces, Lincoln found themselves clinging to a 15-14 lead.

Following a Lincoln timeout, Sasse put the Lady Railers up 16-14 on a kill. Then it was Makia Hassebrock with a kill to keep Lincoln in front 17-15. Rebecca Burge was next in line to step up for Lincoln. Her kill from the middle allowed Lincoln a 19-17 lead.

Lincoln was playing a fantastic game at the net and after a kill by Froebe and another huge block by Company and Qualters, U-High called a timeout with the score 21-18. Froebe’s last kill of the set put Lincoln up 22-19.

While the Pioneers came within 22-20, one final kill by Sasse allowed the Lady Railers to clinch a 25-21 win in set one.

Set two

Sasse picked up where she left off with a dominant kill to begin set two. With Lincoln being called for an illegal hit, the Pioneers took a 2-1 lead. Froebe’s kill knotted the score 2-2 and then things got ugly.

Lincoln fell behind 7-2 through some fault of their own and after two kills and a tip by the Pioneers. U-High would even take an 11-4 lead and despite Lincoln’s efforts, that escalated to a 14-7 Pioneers lead.

Railer fans had reason to be concerned as the thought of a third set was beginning to cross their minds. Overcoming this seven-point deficit was beginning to look like a monumental task but then again, fans who have followed these athletes for years know that giving up never crosses their minds.

So in a matter of minutes, these Lady Railers achieved one of the greatest comebacks in recent history and here is how it all went down.

First the front row elevated their game. Company and Hassebrock got the tide to turn in Lincoln’s favor on a block.

Then Taryn Stoltzenburg stepped to the line to serve. She has been one of the most consistent servers all season long and she handles the pressure of any situation just like a pro. Stoltzenburg had one job to do from behind that line and she did it over and over, flawlessly.

Then it was Qualter’s turn and she single-handedly earned a point on the block. After a Pioneers error made the score 14-10, U-High’s coach called a timeout. Following the timeout, Stoltzenburg went back to the line, unfazed, and this time around it was Company on the tip for Lincoln to top off another point.

Lincoln got a little help from U-High to earn the next two points. The Pioneers were called for four hits and then immediately after on the next play, they were caught out of rotation.

Lincoln needed just one point to make this a brand new ballgame.

Froebe, who lives for exciting moments like this, used a tip to surprise the Pioneers and just like that the score was 14-14.

Lincoln caught another break when the Pioneers hitter missed her opportunity and instead had to watch the ball that she had just touched roll on top of the net and back onto the Pioneers side of the court.

As the ball dropped in front of the Pioneers, Company breathed a sigh of relief as the rest of the Lincoln players threw their arms in the air. Lincoln had a 15-14 lead and the comeback was still in progress.

U-High’s Vanderbilt University volleyball commit, Rachel Ogunleye, would hit the ball into the net and Lincoln tallied another point.

Company then had perhaps the biggest block of her career and Lincoln was up 17-14. The lead increased to 18-14 when U-High was called for a double-hit.

Stoltzenburg, who was not even breaking a sweat as she served in front of Railer Nation, served one more ball and simply put, the Pioneers couldn’t handle it.

U-High was looking up at the scoreboard showing Lincoln in the lead, 19-14.

Stoltzenburg had rattled off eleven straight successful serves for points and her teammates had come through, front row and back row, to put the epic comeback in motion. Lincoln had completed a 12-0 run and there was not one person in the gym who could’ve predicted that.

With McKinney at the service line for U-High, her and her wicked topspin serve breathed new life into the Pioneers. She brought her team back to within two points, 20-18, before hitting her last serve into the net.

Her shoulders dropped and she put her hands on her head, knowing the importance of that moment. Lincoln put the ball in the hands of Company at the line and she immediately served an ace to make the score 22-18.

Sasse was ready to get things over with and her kill put Lincoln up 23-18. With the Pioneers chipping away at the lead, Sasse used another kill to guide the Lady Railers to a 24-21 lead. U-High boasts a solid lineup and they were equally as hungry as Lincoln for the win and they were able to comeback and make the score 24-23.

Lincoln called a timeout and the suspense heightened. Game point certainly did not lack in excitement, as the two teams volleyed back and forth repeatedly before Sasse went up for the kill and decided to drop a surprise tip over the net. The ball hit the court, out of reach of the diving Pioneers, and just like that Lincoln completed the epic comeback and won set two 25-23.

All in all the two-set victory provided more drama for fans than a Taylor Swift album, and after the upset win over the no. 1 ranked Pioneers, this night will be talked about in Lincoln volleyball history with the same enthusiasm these “Swifties” talk about “The Eras Tour.”

These history-making Lady Railers are now 34-4 under head coach Kaylee Lowery, who was very intent on keeping her team focused against U-High.

“It was really just keeping them focused on every single thing that we worked on,” said Lowery. “I mean, U-High is a great team and we tried to pick out their weaknesses. We knew who we had to shut down, we knew where we had to put the ball and we did just that in the first set. Then the excitement of the first set carried into the second set. We started out a little slow because we were just so excited to get that first set under our belt and then our mentality kind of shifted, forgetting the things that we had to do in order to win that first set. So it was kind of like reeling them back in and letting them know U-High wasn’t beating us, it was us beating ourselves. We had a lot of errors and when the girls minimized that and kept going to those key points that we worked on to win, it turned our way.”

Lincoln earned the sectional championship thanks to a total team effort.

A two-set victory over U-High was especially sweet for these seniors. From left to right Addy Qualters, Jenna Bowman, Kloe Froebe, Becca Heitzig and Taryn Stoltzenburg.

The familiar characters continue to lead in the kills category. Peyton Sasse had 9 kills and Kloe Froebe had 8 kills. Both of these athletes have that “Give me the ball!” mentality when the game is on the line.

Alyssa Company and Addy Qualters turned in solid performances. Company’s 3 kills and 4 blocks were extra special against the much taller Pioneers front row. Qualters is consistent and really the glue that holds the team together on the court as the setter who really can do it all. Her 19 assists, 8 digs and 3 blocks don’t just look pretty on paper, they are a work of art in real time.

Becca Heitzig and Taryn Stoltzenburg maintain ownership of the back row and while their digs are highlighted in the stats, their unwavering ability to dive for balls and the quickness in which they do so can never be overlooked. Heitzig will run in the IHSA State Cross Country meet this weekend and she goes back and forth from volleyball to running with ease. Stoltzenburg gets a shoutout one more time here for her MVP performance from the service line in set two.

Rebecca “Reba” Burge and Makia “Kia” Hassebrock round out the key players who provide extra depth in the front row and play smart, earning points for the Lady Railers when the opponent is least expecting it.

Railer Nation chose the theme "White Out" for the Sectional Championship versus U-High.

Finally, Railer Nation invaded the Southeast gym and cheered all evening long. The student section even got in the picture behind the team afterwards. It’s been said before, but Railer Nation is indeed the best!

The Lady Railers would love for you to join them Friday night at the Taylorville Super-Sectional as they take on Mascoutah at 6:00 p.m.

One more quick note. It was U-High that ended Lincoln’s volleyball season last year on October 31, 2022 at Roy S. Anderson. The Pioneers won in two sets, 25-23 and 25-16. With all due respect to the Pioneers and on behalf of the Lady Railers, this revenge is pretty sweet.

There are currently eight teams left in each class of volleyball and the top two teams left in Class 3A are Wheaton St. Francis and Lincoln. After Friday night, there will be four teams, each headed to Normal, Illinois and CEFCU Arena.

Good luck, Lady Railers!

Stats

Sasse 9 kills 7 digs
Froebe 8 kills 3 digs
Company 3 kills 4 blocks 1 dig
Qualters 19 assists 8 digs 3 blocks
Heitzig 7 digs 2 assists
Burge 3 kills 1 dig
Hassebrock 1 kill 1 dig
Stoltzenburg 5 digs

[Teena Lowery]