High School Girls Volleyball
Lady Railers finish in 2nd place at State
Team finishes season with a 36-5 record

 

[November 12, 2023] 

The Lincoln Lady Railers brought home the 2nd place trophy on Saturday night after falling to Wheaton St. Francis in three exhilarating sets at the Class 3A Volleyball State Championships at CEFCU Arena in Normal.

Lincoln defeated the Wheaton St. Francis Spartans 25-23 in the first set, before falling 23-25 and 24-26 in the last two sets.

While the loss was heartbreaking, especially for a group of Lincoln seniors who are some of the most talented multi-sport athletes of this generation, the 2023 Lady Railers solidified their reputation as the best volleyball team in school history. Lincoln finished this historic season with a record 36 wins. Numerous individual records were also set this season.

The Lady Railers are also the first volleyball team from the Central State Eight Conference to ever play in a championship match. Pretty impressive for the team’s first year back in the Central State Eight and given the history of the elite conference.

On Saturday evening at CEFCU Arena, with Railer Nation piling in early to get a good seat, the Lady Railers had to wait patiently in the locker room for a very long time for the third and fourth place game between Morton and St. Ignatius to get over. St. Ignatius would win in three thrilling sets, 26-24, 18-25 and 26-24 over a gritty team from Morton.

With Coach Kaylee Lowery pacing the area outside the locker room and checking the score periodically, the anticipation was building as Lincoln waited for that final game of the season that every volleyball player in the country would love to be a part of.

When the Lady Railers finally ran out onto the court at CEFCU Arena, they were greeted with a sea of red, all fired up and ready to go. Railer Nation showed up and showed out!

It would be 6:09 p.m. before the 5:30 p.m. scheduled championship match between Lincoln and Wheaton St. Francis finally got underway.

Set one

Kloe Froebe and Alyssa Company came out firing in set one and with terrific sets from Addy Qualters, the first two points on the board were kills courtesy of the Lincoln seniors.

After Anna Paquette recorded the Spartans first kill, the score was 3-1. Another kill from Company put Lincoln up 4-2. The Spartans Addy Horner then put down a kill to make the score 5-3.

The Lincoln seniors continued to dominate and with another kill by Froebe, the Lady Railers kept a 6-3 lead. The Spartans would close the gap to 6-5.

After two errors in a row by St. Francis, Lincoln held an 8-5 advantage. An ace by Peyton Sasse made the score 9-5 and with the Lady Railers feeling the momentum, they would take a 10-5 lead on Froebe’s kill.

St. Francis called a timeout.

Kills were the name of the game following the timeout. St. Francis used three kills to earn points and Lincoln remained steady with kills from Makia Hassebrock and Company.

The score rested momentarily on 12-8, Lincoln’s favor. Lincoln went up 13-10 with a huge kill by Froebe. Company and Qualters stretched the lead to 14-10 after a block.

With St. Francis committing another error on the attack, it was Lincoln looking up at a 15-10 lead. The Spartans took advantage of a string of Lincoln hitting errors and pulled closer, 16-14 the score. Things really intensified after a kill by Emma Delaney brought the Spartans back to within a point, 18-17 the Lincoln lead.

Froebe and Company set the score at 20-18 after they came up with kills. Gabriella Rendina answered back with a kill and the score was 20-19.

On the next attack by Lincoln, Froebe hit the corner nice and easy for a kill and this stretched the lead to 21-19. Lincoln went up 22-19 on the hitting error by Horner and the Spartans called a timeout.

After Froebe emerged to the service line following the timeout and recorded an ace, Lincoln fans were beginning to shift in their seats with the score 23-19. But after a kill by Paquette and two Lincoln errors, the score was 23-22 and this time Coach Lowery called a timeout.

Horner tied the set 23-23 with a non returnable kill following the timeout.

Deep breath, Railer Nation. Sasse would put the Spartans away with two final kills and Lincoln took set one by a final score of 25-23.

Set two

Froebe and Company started the Lady Railers off right in set two. A kill by Froebe and a block by Company put Lincoln up 2-0.

The Spartans were quick to bounce back and take a 4-2 lead after kills by Horner and Shay McMillen and ace by Paquette. Two net serves by St. Francis allowed Lincoln to stay close, 4-5 the score at this point.

Lincoln kept pace, trailing 6-7 after Rebecca Burge and Makia Hassebrock combined for the block on Paquette. Enter a kill on the scoresheet for Froebe and the game was tied 7-7.

Overheard on press row after Froebe’s annihilation of that volleyball was, “That’s a basketball player there. She’s an impressive multi-sport athlete.” It’s highly unlikely that Froebe heard the comment, but she went on to show more of her insane athletic ability and put down another kill on the Spartans, tying the set at 8-8 this time. Froebe even gave Lincoln a 9-8 lead on her third consecutive kill. Just like in basketball, if the team needs some points in a hurry, give Froebe the ball.

Lincoln had a really tough battle on their hands in set two here and after a kill by Company the score was tied again, 10-10 the score. The two teams were knotted 11-11 on, you guessed it, another kill by Froebe. Lincoln even managed to win a long volley and take a 12-11 lead.

The Spartans jumped ahead 14-12 after a couple Lincoln hitting errors. When Company got her hand on the ball for a kill on the next play, the Lady Railers were down just 14-13. When the Spartans went up 16-13, Lincoln called a timeout. Sasse stepped up for two quick kills following the timeout, but the Spartans were still in the lead, 17-15.

After Froebe nailed the line with a kill and Company also put one down inbounds, Lincoln trailed just 18-17.

A kill by Horner allowed St. Francis to go up 21-18. Lincoln fell behind 23-19 before calling a timeout. After a service error by the Spartans and a kill by Sasse, Lincoln was trying hard to catch up with the score 23-21.

This time St. Francis called the timeout. Lincoln came out of the huddle and after a long serve by Company the score was 24-21 and the Spartans fans got on their feet for game point. Their fans had to wait because Sasse had other plans, putting down back-to-back kills for Lincoln. With the score 24-23 it was the Spartans turn to call a timeout.

After that timeout, a quick kill by McMillen slammed the door and St. Francis won set two 25-23.

Set three

Froebe got things started the right way in set three as well. Her opening kill and a hitting error by the Spartans gave Lincoln a 2-0 lead. Sasse’s kill kept Lincoln on top 3-1. Jones and Horner tied the set 3-3 with kills of their own.

Two errors at the net by the Spartans allowed Lincoln a 5-3 lead. The two teams continued to tie each other 5-5 and then 6-6 and finally 7-7. Lincoln took advantage of the Spartans' mistakes and celebrated a kill by Hassebrock to take a 10-7 lead.

Becca Heitzig was at the service line for all those points and she seemed to not only be a shovel out there on the court, digging balls left and right, but she was also lights out for her team on her serves.

Paquette would guide the Spartans back to a tie, 10-10, with her kills. The story repeated itself with the teams tying one another at 11-11, 12-12 and 13-13. After Froebe’s kill tied the most recent score, Company sent the Lady Railers in front 14-13 with a kill from the middle.

After a hitting error by St. Francis and a really nice block from Qualters, the Lady Railers were up 16-13 and St. Francis called a timeout.

Company kept the Lady Railers in the lead, 17-14, with a kill. After a hitting error by Horner, Lincoln’s hopes were certainly up with the score now 18-14.

What happened next will certainly sting for a very long time. The Spartans got the next six consecutive points, but Lincoln handed them four in a row. With a 6-0 run beginning and ending with a kill for the Spartans, the blow really isn’t any less painful.

Lincoln committed four hitting errors in the midst of all that and it was heartbreaking to watch unfold so quickly. But with the Lady Railers now down 20-18 the game certainly was not over.

There was a timeout in there by Lincoln right before that last kill by Horner. Sasse rebounded for the Lady Railers with a kill and with Lincoln down 19-20, Railer Nation was still heavily involved and cheering their hearts out.

Horner refused to quit on her team and she notched a dandy of a kill to stretch her team in front by two points, 21-19 the score. Another kill by Sasse and Lincoln trailed just 21-20.

McMillen added another kill to put the Spartans up by two points, 22-20 the score. After an error by the Spartans, Lincoln trailed just 22-21. Paquette’s back-to-back kills were deadly and Lincoln fell behind 24-21. With the Spartans’ fans on their feet, Froebe sat them down with a kill and after their team made an error, the blue section of the building quieted down.

Wheaton St. Francis was clinging to a 24-23 lead when their coach called a timeout.

With Taryn Stoltzenburg at the service line next for Lincoln, she was calm and collected, putting the ball in play and everyone in red exploded with applause when a hitting error by St. Francis allowed Lincoln to tie the set 24-24. The next two points, if only Lincoln would have earned those next two points.

Instead, the Spartans blocked Froebe at the net to go ahead 25-24 and then Horner ended the Lady Railers bid for a state title with a monster kill that sent Sasse to her knees. The final score in set three was 26-24.

Wheaton St. Francis, a volleyball powerhouse with now 14 state titles alone and numerous other state finishes since 1988, piled onto the floor at CEFCU Arena in celebration as the Lady Railers waited patiently to shake hands. The disappointment was obvious for Lincoln but the accomplishments of these girls on and off the court is outstanding and a state trophy is something to certainly be proud of.

Again, this Lady Railers team has notched their place in history, coming after a 4th place team in 1974, a state qualifying team in 1993 and a 4th place team in 2000.

Just for a quick wrap-up, the Spartans had four heavy hitters who could really put the ball down and they combined for 42 kills. Addy Horner led the team with 13 kills. Anna Paquette had 12 kills. Shay McMillen had 9 kills and Emma Delaney had 8 kills. Two other Spartans contributed kills and they were Gabriella Rendina with 4 kills and Addy Jones with 2 kills. The team total was 48 kills.

For the Lady Railers, Kloe Froebe led the way with 16 kills. Peyton Sasse tallied 13 kills. Alyssa Company had 9 kills while Makia Hassebrock had 2 kills. The team total was 40 kills.

Addy Qualters had 38 assists for Lincoln and she was unwavering at the service line all night.

Once again, the Lincoln defense was outstanding with Becca Heitzig leading the team with 23 digs. Froebe was phenomenal on defense with 19 digs. Qualters was an incredibly solid player with 15 digs in the championship match. Sasse was in double-digits in digs with 10 and Stoltzenburg didn't flinch under pressure and she had 8 digs, along with consistency at the service line.

Froebe and Heitzig each joined Stoltzenburg and Qualters in being consistent at the service line.

Neither team was without their share of errors and on any given night either team could’ve come out on top.

Kloe Froebe put it best in the press conference following the game when she said, “I really don’t think any other school in the state is as amazing as Railer Nation.”

For full coverage of the press conference following the game, Lincoln Daily News will have the video posted online.

Congratulations, Lady Railers! We are all so proud of you!

A couple final notes:

Congratulations to Coach Kaylee (Beekman) Lowery and her assistants Beth Guy and Crystal Wurth on this history-making season.

Lowery and Guy are both former Hartsburg-Emden Stags, having played for Coach Jennifer Hayes.

Lowery also has a younger sister, Addie Beekman, who played in the 2023 IHSA Class 1A State Tournament for the Stags. Beekman and the Stags brought home the 2nd place tournament on Saturday.

And finally, it is always fun to overhear comments at CEFCU Arena about athletes from Lincoln. Announcers, photographers, reporters, volunteers and staff members are all very familiar with two LCHS athletes in particular, Kloe Froebe and Becca Heitzig.

Heitzig, fresh off her state championship in cross country, generated buzz with her outstanding play on the volleyball court this weekend and a lot of comments were made about her hard work ethic as an impressive multi-sport athlete. When the word state champion was muttered, her name was behind it.

Froebe also left an impression at CEFCU Arena, and that dates back to March of 2023. Immediately upon overhearing a conversation between two men and one of them saying, “She dropped 45 here on this court,” it was obvious they were talking about Lincoln’s record-setting basketball standout Kloe Froebe. Upon confirmation, the one guy continued to praise her outstanding performance during the basketball state finals last season and noted what a fantastic volleyball player she is as well.

A lot of members of press row were equally impressed with Froebe’s performance on the volleyball court this weekend. Comments like, “She’s a multi-sport athlete who knows how to win” were overheard. And “She’s just a competitor who plays the game so smart.”

And finally from a photographer who has taken pictures of tons of elite athletes in his career, there was this comment:

“They need to make a statue of Kloe in Lincoln. Talented kid.”

Talented kid for sure and Lincoln is lucky to have her.

[Teena Lowery]