Girls volleyball: Barrington leaves home with another Mid-Suburban League championship

Forty-nine years after Barrington first won the Mid-Suburban League girls volleyball championship match, the Fillies’ 17th triumph in the showcase match also came against Rolling Meadows with a 25-14, 25-15 triumph Thursday night.

Two-time Mid-Suburban League East Division Player of the Year Kayln Brookbank helped pave the way with her match-high 10 kills for Barrington.

Playing their final home match of the season, the Fillies also received key performances from three other all-conference players: senior setter Eve Adler (13 assists), senior Toni Rojas (11 digs) and senior Lexi Szlezak (5 kills).

“This was our last home match, so we kept telling each other to just have fun,” Rojas said. “We wanted to remember it and be happy about it. We just always trust ourselves. Now I'm excited to move on to the postseason (as the No. 4 seed at the Lake sectional).”

The MSL East champs (26-9) were excited from the get-go.

They opened up an 8-4 lead behind two service points from Grace Hemmings and never looked back in the first set. An ace by Kinley Shinhoster (9 digs, 2 aces) followed by Brookbank's kill made it 16-7, and the hosts eventually put the set away when Adler went toward the back row for Brookbank to put it away.

Rolling Meadows (26-9) showed resilience in the second set, taking a 4-0 lead behind server Olivia Isla. The Mustangs enjoyed an 8-6 lead when Giselle Vasquez and Harper Giersch teamed up for a double block.

But the Fillies answered with four straight points, including Adler's back set to Szlezak, which gave them the lead for good at 9-8.

“We played defense,” Adler said. “And we put the ball away.”

A kill by Maddie Black, one of a personal-best six from the sophomore, made it 10-8, and Black ended the match with a block.

“It feels good to be part of a championship,” Black said. “I feel like everyone is so supportive. To be a winning team you have to love each and everyone has to be there for each other and we are.”

“Maddie blocked and hit,” said Fillies coach Michelle Mayer, who has led the Fillies to six MSL crowns in the last eight seasons. “She really came through.

“It was a great team effort. We let (the Mustangs) back in the match a little in the second set, but they all came through. It's a good group. It's fun. The kids had a great regular season. I’m really proud of them. But we aren't done yet.”

Rolling Meadows hardly feels it's done either. It will head to the Schaumburg sectional as the No. 4 seed.

“I thought it was a really good experience for our girls regardless of the outcome,” said Rolling Meadows coach Jack Nickle, who had the Mustangs playing in their second title match in three years.

“Barrington is a very talented team. I thought they were super good on second contact. Even when we served tough and they were off the net, they were able to get it back consistently and able to take big rips. They are so physical at the net. It's just challenging to stop them with how much physicality they have. I'm really proud of everything they've done. I know they wanted a different result, but I hope they're proud of himself too, because they should be.”