Volleyball: Prairie Ridge falls to Belvidere North in Class 3A sectional final

WOODSTOCK – Prairie Ridge coasted to a first-set win over Belvidere North on Wednesday and gave everything it had in the second set.

After falling behind 8-1, the Wolves fought back and eventually tied the score at 22, but it was only the start of a wild, back-and-forth set that ultimately went to the Blue Thunder.

Second-seeded Belvidere North carried that momentum into the third set and turned it into a 12-25, 31-29, 25-14 come-from-behind win to beat third-seeded Prairie Ridge and claim the Class 3A Woodstock North Sectional title.

[ Photos: Prairie Ridge vs. Belvidere North in Class 3A Woodstock North Sectional final ]

Belvidere North (32-6) will meet St. Francis in the Antioch Supersectional at 6 p.m. Friday, with the winner advancing to the state semifinals at Illinois State University’s CEFCU Arena.

“You could tell that we really wanted it, and it was a little devastating when it didn’t go our way,” Prairie Ridge junior setter Grace Jansen said. “We kind of fumbled a little bit [in the second set], but I’m really proud of how we kept fighting no matter what.

“We prepared all year for this. This was the moment we really wanted to shine.”

The Wolves had one match point in the second set at 27-26 after a kill by freshman outside hitter Maizy Agnello, but the Thunder responded with a point by senior Bree Messenger (match-high 13 kills) to keep their season alive.

Prairie Ridge was a point from losing the second set five times, but each time tied the score at 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29. Belvidere finally pulled through on a kill by Kylie Swenson (seven kills, three aces), followed by a Wolves attack error to extend the match.

“It gets tough when you start going back and forth like that,” Prairie Ridge senior outside hitter Addison Gertz said. “You get tired, and somebody’s got to be the one to step up and put [the ball] away. “Our passing started falling apart and then our hitting started falling apart. I think we mentally fell off a bit.”

“This team had some much energy and determination, and they enjoyed being together. I love how, especially with postseason, they really turned it up. You could tell that they were dialed in and ready to fight.”

—  Stefanie Otto, Prairie Ridge coach

Belvidere North coach Amanda Hicks said her team had a decision to make after a noncompetitive first set.

“We got rolled in the first, and they decided they wanted to fight, and they came out and started serving aggressively,” Hicks said. “We knew we couldn’t play much worse than that first set.”

Despite losing the second set, Prairie Ridge coach Stefanie Otto was happy to see her team respond positively.

“It was a rough start to that second set, but they wouldn’t quit,” Otto said. “I was super happy about that. Funky things happened, and we just couldn’t put the ball away. We had our opportunities, but they fought back, too. [Belvidere North] wanted it just as much as we did.”

Prairie Ridge trailed 13-12 in the third set, and Belvidere North started to pull away. A Riley Johnson kill started a 9-0 run for the Thunder, and they ended the match on a kill by Messenger.

Otto thought the Wolves would have the momentum in the last set, but things never unfolded that way.

“I’m sure there was a lot of frustration and emotion going on,” Otto said. “We really struggled on serve receive, and it’s really hard to get in system. When that happens, you just can’t play your game like you normally could.”

Senior middle blocker Mackenzie Schmidt had 10 kills and seven blocks for Prairie Ridge, Agnello had eight kills and nine digs, and Jansen added 16 assists and 12 digs.

Also for the Wolves, junior Alli Rogers had 10 digs, Gertz had five kills, and freshman Tegan Vrbancic had two aces. Junior setter Julia Reina had 13 assists, and senior middle blocker Ashley Stiefer and freshman outside hitter Adeline Grider had six kills each.

Prairie Ridge (21-18) captured back-to-back regional titles and was the last area team playing in the postseason.

The Wolves will lose six seniors to graduation: Schmidt, Gertz, Stiefer, Amelia Bowen, Sophia Carlini and Beatrice Nott.

“It’s a special group, for sure,” Otto said. “This team had some much energy and determination, and they enjoyed being together. I love how especially with postseason, they really turned it up. You could tell that they were dialed in and ready to fight.”