U-High volleyball to play for first state title since 2000, taking down Prairie Ridge in two sets
- Jonathan Michel
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
NORMAL — Normal U-High’s volleyball team got to do what no other team in the state would be able to on Friday.
They walked from their school to their state semifinal game, savoring every bit of the two-block journey to CEFCU Arena before their Class 3A bout against Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge.
Although they took several hundred steps over to the arena, they took an even bigger step toward making school history on the court, defeating the Wolves 25-20, 25-18 to clinch the team’s first state title game berth since 2000.
“This is a big deal and I'm really proud of this team,” Normal U-High head coach Ratasha Thompson said. “They have worked so hard this entire year through all the ups and downs, and they showed that tonight. They do deserve to be in the state championship match.”
728 wins have elapsed since that state title game, which the Pioneers won over Wheaton St. Francis. Bringing home a state trophy would be the ultimate reward for a team that’s poured plenty of blood, sweat and tears into returning to the state’s biggest stage.
Normal U-High will take on LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy in Saturday’s state title game, where first serve is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
“How much grit and how much work we put into this season all together just shows so much on the court,” Normal U-High senior Madison Funk said. “We can see in our eyes [that] we have the passion. Literally anyone that you can ask has so much passion and grit for this team. We all put in the effort every single day, and we're balls to the walls [with] nothing to lose.”
Snow show
Riding a 28-game win streak heading into Friday, Normal U-High came out looking like a well-oiled machine in the first set.
Senior outside hitter Laney Snow powered home three kills in a four-point stretch to give the Pioneers a 5-4 lead. After both teams traded points, Normal U-High scored five of the next six points with two kills from senior Wolf, a kill from senior Morgan Petelin, an ace from Emma Jean Bogusz and a Prairie Ridge error.
“We have the same motto that we've always had, which is just one point at a time, one match at a time, and we're not going to look any further,” Thompson said. “That was true of our serves [and] we've been great with our serves all season so I knew that we would show up with our serves.”
“I think we didn’t adjust as quickly as we wanted to, but regardless I think we played very tough,” Prairie Ridge head coach Leah Groat said. “They’re very tall, they blocked a lot and they served super aggressively and it caught us off guard a little bit.”
Snow, Petelin and Funk all notched kills as part of a 5-0 run that put Normal U-High up 20-12. The Wolves made a late push, but a pair of kills from senior Ava Crabtree and a kill from Funk helped put the first set away in favor of the green and gold.
The Pioneers had just one attack error in a cleanly-played first set, in which they hit .488 to Prairie Ridge’s .387. Twenty-two of Normal U-High’s points in the first set came off of kills.
“I give all the credit to my setter and my passers,” Snow said. “I think that [Morgan Petelin] and Maddie [Funk] were both setting me up beautifully, and that set me up for success.
We capitalized on some of their weaknesses. I think we all did really well today, even the people who weren't on the court. I think it was a team effort.”
Using nerves, big stage to their advantage
After gaining some momentum near the end of the first, Prairie Ridge carried it over into the second set, breaking a 5-5 deadlock with four straight points and prompting the Pioneers to call a timeout.
But even then, the Pioneers weren’t fazed.
“We all trust each other enough and we all lean on each other when we make a mistake,” Wolf said. “We just shake it off and move on.”
With Snow having moved to the back row, it was time for the others to shine on the front line, and they did.
Trailing 13-9, the Pioneers got a block from Funk and junior Taylor Penn, kills from Petelin and Funk and a Prairie Ridge attacking error to tie it up. They took their first lead of the set at 17-16 after a bad set by the Wolves, who tied it back up at 17-17 right after.
However, the next six points all belonged to Normal U-High as Crabtree swung home two kills, Bogusz served up back-to-back aces and the Wolves made two of their nine attack errors. With each passing point, the cheers from the Pioneers’ understandably sizable crowd grew even louder.
“It only adds to the atmosphere, making us feel right at home,” Thompson said.
“I think everyone was nervous, but I think we did a good job of using our nerves to push us even further,” Bogusz said. “There were times where things weren't going our way and I don't think we let that affect us.”
It takes all of them
The Pioneers will continue to have a bit of home court advantage on Saturday. They’ll enjoy a short commute home and being able to follow their normal gameday routine. They also plan to support crosstown rival Bloomington Central Catholic, who will play in the Class 2A state championship game against Columbia at 1:55 p.m.
“They all get to sleep in their home bed, which is really great,” Thompson said. “We'll probably show up to cheer on Central Catholic. I know a lot of these girls have played with them in the offseason, so we'll come cheer them on tomorrow, and then we'll come ready to fight.”
Snow led the Pioneers with 11 kills and nine digs and was one of six players on her team to have three or more kills. Petelin and Funk each notched 14 assists, Bogusz led the way in aces with three while Penn and Funk each finished with a pair of blocks.
What’s not shown on the final stat sheet though is the trust and camaraderie that the Pioneers have with each other. It’s grown exponentially throughout the season and will be a major key in Saturday’s state championship tilt.
“I was telling my team that I'm here to support you no matter what,” Funk said. “Like all the adversity that you face, I'm here. Come to me if you need anything, and we'll all support you guys.
And I feel like that's just really important, because we all trust each other on and off the court. We have a connection with each other, and that's what brought us here.”
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