Girls volleyball: Streator storms back to take crosstown opener from Woodland

STREATOR – The Woodland Warriors led late in all three sets of their season opener Monday at Streator’s Pops Dale Gymnasium against the host Bulldog Spikers.

Crunch-time service runs from Spikers senior libero Rilee Talty, however, set the stage for the hosts to score come-from-behind victories in two of the three. That resulted in a 25-22, 18-25, 25-20 Streator win over Woodland, snapping a three-season Warriors winning streak in the crosstown showdown.

“Obviously, we’re looking for faster starts, and that’s definitely something we’re going to be working on,” Streator coach Julie Gabehart said. “But definitely I give the girls lots of credit for not giving up, continuing to fight for every point. I thought that was huge.

“I think the team chemistry this year has been amazing. We have people up and down our bench who can come in and contribute at any time, and we were able to use most of them tonight.”

Talty served up two aces during her match-turning, six-point service run late in the rubber set that turned a 19-17 Woodland advantage into a 23-19 Bulldog Spikers lead they did not relinquish. She also added a team-high 14 digs, with Kora Lane adding two aces and eight digs; Devin Elias putting down seven kills; Mya Zavada totaling two stuff blocks; Alexa Jacobs and Sophia Pence each finishing with five kills; Sonia Proksa tallying eight kills – including the match-winner – and a pair of blocks; and junior setter Emma Rambo posting nine digs, a pair of kills and 25 assists.

“We’ve been working really hard at practice, and it’s paid off,” Rambo said. “[Woodland is a] very good team, and we were really dedicated to beating them for the first time in a while.”

Cloee Johnston’s eight kills, two aces and four assists; Emma Highland’s 12 digs and five kills; libero Kaiden Connor’s match-high 17 digs; Shae Simons’ 14 assists; Malayna Pitte’s three kills and a block and freshman middle Grace Longmire’s five kills and two blocks led the Warriors’ attack on a night they could not stay ahead.

“It was controllable errors, and Streator has a really strong front row,” Warriors coach Michelle Pitte said. “We have to make sure that we’re ready. They caught us sleeping a couple times, but I’ll take this.

“I take this as a win for us because we were really moving out there. We’ll keep that going, and we’ll get ready for tomorrow.”

Woodland led as late as 21-17 in the opening set after a Malayna Pitte ace, but a pair of Pence kills and a Talty service run sparked a 5-0 rally to put the Spikers ahead. A Talty back-row kill and Pence front-row winner set up set point, with a Warriors hitting error finishing it.

Woodland led again in the second set, this time not allowing Streator to crawl back in, thanks to key kills from Longmire, Highland, Johnston and Malayna Pitte.

That set up the decisive third set, one that Woodland led 19-16 after a Connor service run just to have Streator return the favor with a Proksa stuff block followed by Talty’s aforementioned service run. A Zavada block set up Streator for match point, which Proksa cashed in on with her eighth kill of the night.

The Warriors (0-1), who showed their characteristic scrappy defense and also some pop at the net, are scheduled to return to action Tuesday with another rivalry match, visiting Flanagan-Cornell.

Streator (1-0), after an impressive, positive-energy team effort, continues its season-opening three-match homestand with visits Tuesday from Dwight and Thursday from Ottawa.

“We’ve been working really hard at practice, and it’s paid off. [Woodland is a] very good team, and we were really dedicated to beating them for the first time in a while.”

—  Emma Rambo, Streator volleyball junior