Naperville Central tops Collinsville in volleyball supersectionals

PEKIN -- Considering that Naperville Central needed just two games and 54 minutes to win the Class 4A Pekin supersectional Monday, the Redhawks' 25-18, 25-23 win over Collinsville was filled with some surprisingly intense moments.

The most intense wasn't even a moment -- it lasted for seven minutes.

Leading 23-20 in Game 2, Naperville Central junior outside hitter Emily McGee and coach Brie Isaacson asked the officials for a rotation check to make sure that McGee and her teammates were serving in the correct order.

"It never hurts to check," said McGee, who had no idea what answer the question would bring.

After a seven-minute discussion between Isaacson, Collinsville coach Kim Lobb, both officials, and the official scorer, it was determined that the Redhawks had indeed served out of order.

But, because the error was not discovered until after it happened, the Redhawks were not penalized.

"We were a little nervous," said Central outside hitter Rebecca Heath. "We just knew whatever happened, we had to come out and get 2 more points."

Those 2 points didn't come as quickly as Heath would have liked. A kill by McGee pushed the Redhawks to match point, 24-21, but Collinsville called timeout and then set up Illinois recruit Michelle Bartsch for 2 of her match-high 14 kills to cut the lead to 24-23.

"(Bartsch) was hitting right over our block," Heath said. "We knew she would get her kills, but we tried to stop the others."

After a Central timeout, Collinsville again set Bartsch, whose attack attempt found the floor on the right side.

But the ball was ruled out of bounds to give Central (36-4) the win and a berth in Friday's Class 4A state semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal against Libertyville (34-6) at 7:30 p.m.

"I thought it was in," said a teary-eyed Bartsch afterwards. "But that's the way it goes."

"Going to state is the best feeling in the world," McGee said. "I'm so glad this new group of girls gets to experience it."

McGee and Heath each did her part to spark Central. McGee finished with a team-highs of 10 kills and 9 digs, while Heath added 8 kills and a match-high 7 blocks.

Six of McGee's kills came in Game 2 as she helped the Redhawks rally from a 7-1 deficit.

"We knew they weren't going to go away," McGee said. "But we didn't come out as strong as we needed to."

Heath tallied the majority of her kills in Game 1, as she hammered home 6 kills and two blocks to put Central in position for the sweep.

"We knew in terms of height that we had the advantage on the outside and they had the big girl (Bartsch) in the middle," Heath said. "(Setter) Megan McMahon did a great job of finding both me and Emily (McGee) on the outside."

For Heath, the Redhawks' second trip to the state finals in three years is especially meaningful.

"When we won the state championship in 2006, I couldn't play," Heath said. "I had a stress fracture in my spine.

So this is a great experience."