Girls volleyball: Metea Valley headed to state for 1st time
Morgan Rank presumably has much greater things in store for her volleyball career after signing with the University of Alabama.
But the Metea Valley senior libero has unfinished business for the remainder of her final high school season.
Rank had half of her Class 4A Plainfield North girls volleyball supersectional match-high 4 aces at the most opportune time.
Rank put Metea Valley on the brink of winning the first set with a critical service point, and proceeded to close out Andrew with the last of her service winners to send the Mustangs' program to new heights.
The Mustangs, just like their sectional championship match against Plainfield North, dodged two set points in the opener and completely dominated the second game for a 26-24, 25-8 victory over the Thunderbolts Friday evening in Plainfield.
The Metea Valley girls volleyball program is assured of the first team trophy - in any sport for either gender - in school history by advancing to the Final Four.
In improving to 38-2 - extending its winning streak to 22 matches in the process - Metea Valley earned a semifinal date with Barrington, which outlasted Fremd in three sets at Lake Zurich, in the second semifinal at Illinois State University on Friday in Normal.
Andrew had its season end at 26-14.
"We just have so much confidence in one another," Rank said. "Going into this game, we knew we were going to have to fight no matter what. (Advancing to state) means the world to me. We made a dream come true."
Andrew seemed poised to take the first set when junior standout Amber Gahse blocked a Metea Valley kill attempt for a 23-19 lead.
But Metea Valley junior outside Kira Hutson, who finished with a match-best 12 kills, forged a 24-24 tie with a brilliant block.
Rank then served the ace to completely reverse the teams' predicaments.
Hutson then left no doubt to the final verdict in the opening set as the junior rifled home her third straight set-point kill in postseason play to thoroughly deflate the Thunderbirds.
Andrew never truly recovered from the Mustangs ending the first set on a 7-1 run.
Scoring 8 consecutive points to seize command, the Mustangs were never threatened after racing out to a 9-2 second-set lead.
Hutson had two back-row kills to exemplify the Mustangs' second-set brilliance.
"They blocked one of them,' Hutson said. "I didn't want them to think they could do that on a regular basis. I just wanted to rip away at it."
The Mustangs' second-set lead only ballooned as Annabelle Troy, who complemented Rank and Hutson with 8 kills and 2 aces, shined throughout the clinching set.
Regan Holmer orchestrated the Mustangs' attack with 18 assists; Rank had 15 digs to further anchor the defense.
"We didn't underestimate Metea by any means," Gahse said. "We just slowly broke down."