Girls volleyball: Supersectional heartbreak again for Harvest Christian

GRANVILLE - The Harvest Christian girls volleyball team appeared poised to snap its string of supersectional disappointments after an impressive first set win, but an equally determined Eureka squad had other ideas.

The Hornets, led by dynamic senior outside hitter Lauren Rokey's match-high 19 kills, stormed back in the final two sets to collect a hard-fought 18-25, 25-17, 25-22 victory in Saturday afternoon's outstanding Class 2A Putnam County supersectional.

Eureka (33-4) advanced to the Final Four for the time since a third-place finish in 1985. The Hornets will face Chicago Latin in Friday's 1:30 p.m. state semifinal at Illinois State University's Redbird Arena.

Harvest Christian (28-11) left everything out on the court, but fell one win short of going to state for the sixth straight season.

"They were a very physical team and when you're that physical it's hard to defend," said Harvest Christian first-year coach Mike Bui. "With the offense they have, we did our best."

"We went all out all three games, but they were really fired up when they lost the first one by that much," credited Lions junior Rylee Boldog, who contributed 8 kills and 5 digs.

"I think we had a little bit of jitters the first set," said Eureka coach Tracy Heffren, who was a senior on the Hornets' 1985 team. "I told the girls to compose themselves and play relaxed and we played extremely well after that."

As has been the case throughout the state series, the Lions utilized aggressive serving and potent hitting from senior Mikayla Robinson to build an early first set lead they would never relinquish.

Robinson, a South Carolina recruit, landed 3 of her team-high 18 kills and Hannah Griffith served 4 straight points for a 7-2 Lions advantage.

Eureka closed within a single point on three occasions, the last coming at 19-18, but freshman Zoe Pawelek served a pair of aces and Boldog landed a tip as Harvest Christian reeled off the final 6 points of the set.

It was all Rokey in the second set as she dominated play with 10 kills. Eureka built a 14-6 lead and the Lions never got closer than 6.

"Game two we just hesitated so much," Bui said. We've been here at the supersectionals the last six years, so I think we got a little rattled, but Eureka definitely picked up the pace."

The deciding third set was tense throughout as neither team led by more than 3 points.

Robinson delivered a kill and solo block while Boldog knocked down a kill to put Harvest Christian in front 18-15.

The Lions maintained a 21-18 lead behind a clutch kill from Amanda Cassidy and a block from Griffith, but Eureka answered with a crucial 6-point run on Ashlyn Millett's serve after Robinson had rotated out.

"Blocking wise we made some adjustments in game three that worked out pretty good. We got out to a 21-18 lead, but they took some big swings when they were down, so credit to them," Bui said.

"Energy was the main reason we won," Rokey said. "We kept pushing and didn't really let them get on a lot of big runs."

"I think (Robinson and Rokey) balanced each other out and we had other girls who were able to step up and get kills," Heffren said. "We're a six-rotation team and we have weapons all the way through our lineup."

Sophomore Kaitlyn Murray distributed 31 assists, Cassidy finished with 8 kills, and Griffith added 4 kills and 4 blocks for Harvest Christian, which graduates only two seniors.

However, it was the last chance to reach state for Robinson, who carried the Lions during postseason play.

"It's really hard, but I'm glad that at least we beat Keith and we had a great season overall," Robinson said.