Dakota ends Harvest Christian’s run
HANOVER, Ill. — The magic carpet ride Harvest Christian’s girls volleyball team had been on throughout the postseason came to a screeching halt here Saturday, just a few short miles from the banks of the Mississippi River.
But what the Lions, playing in IHSA competition for the first time, took away from the experience will ultimately go farther than wins and losses.
Dakota proved to be Harvest’s undoing, knocking off the Lions 25-13, 25-15 in the Class 1A Hanover River Ridge supersectional.
“It was a great run for our first year in IHSA,” said Harvest coach Kim Floyd, whose team was supported by two busloads of fans and over 200 Lions supporters in all. “I’m so proud of them. They played their hearts out.”
While Harvest Christian did play with the heart of a lion, Dakota was just better. The Indians (39-1), who are downstate for the second time in program history and first since 1998, were smoother passers, did a better job of serve receiving and got a monster 10-kill effort from 5-foot-11 sophomore Sarah Thompson.
“They have a great team,” said 6-1 Harvest sophomore Sydnet Doby, who led the Lions with 8 kills, 4 blocks, 2 aces and 4 digs. “They played really well but I don’t think we played to our ability.”
Dakota will take on Waterloo Gibault in the 9 a.m. state semifinal next Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal. Harvest Christian finished the season 25-12.
The Indians spotted Harvest a 3-0 lead in Game 1, but when they came back to take a 7-5 lead on consecutive aces from Thompson, it was the last time the Lions would see the lead in the match. Dakota extended its Game 1 advantage to 12-7, Harvest fought back to 12-10 but Dakota eventually moved its lead to 17-12 before going on an 8-1 run and closing out the game on a Harvest return out of bounds.
Game 2 also stayed close early at 8-6 Dakota and the Lions fought to stay within fighting distance at 15-12, but a net violation Gave Dakota the serve back and the Indians rolled out a 6-0 run that have them an insurmountable 21-12 lead. They punched their ticket to Redbird when sophomore Cora Fiene slammed a kill to the middle to end the 31-minute match.
“It was definitely a nervous setting,” said Doby, “but most of the nerves came from the pressure and the expectations we had and not the crowd or the setting.”
Floyd agreed her team showed some nerves.
“Nerves definitely had something to do with it,” she said. “It’s supersectionals and it’s a huge step for a young team.”
A team that graduates just two seniors, Kali Cramer and Hannah Depledge.
“This was an amazing team,” said Cramer, who had 3 kills and 6 assists. “I’m so happy to be a part of this team. It’s been such a great experience for the entire school, for everyone. Next season they’ll be able to progress.”
Katelyn Floyd added 4 digs for the Lions and Shayna Manusos had 3 digs.