Providence rights the ship to win second straight sectional volleyball title

KANKAKEE — Things did not start well for the Providence Catholic girls volleyball team Thursday night in the Class 3A Kankakee Sectional championship match against Evergreen Park.

The Celtics fell behind 7-1 as Evergreen Park got two aces from Maddie Bruno and another from Julia O’Hare, along with two kills from O’Hare and one from Bridget Hayes en route to a 25-17, 25-22 win.

The fast start by the Mustangs forced Providence coach Lee Rucinski to call a timeout. After that break, the Celtics (30-9) went on a tear of their own, outscoring Evergreen Park 17-3 to build an 18-10 lead. Providence got a strong serving run of its own from Emma Winjum, one of just five seniors on the roster, who delivered three straight aces in a five-point sport that tied it at 7.

“I just reminded the girls that we have been here before,” Rucinski said about the timeout. “We won a sectional title last year on this floor. I also reminded them of who they are, that they were the No. 1 seed in the sectional for a reason.

“We needed to play our best and get back up to what we call the Celtic Standard. Once they started to do that, they were fine.”

Part of the Celtic Standard is making sure junior outside hitter Abbey Knight is getting her share of chances to attack. Setters Demi Carbone and Delaney Purtill fed Knight throughout the match, and she delivered time and again, to the tune of a match-high 15 kills. Knight’s first kill put Providence ahead 11-9 and she added four more in the first set. Cali Tierney and Demi Carbone each had six kills for the Celtics, with Carbone having 13 assists and Purtill adding 17. Grace Lustig had two blocks.

Another Knight kill put Providence ahead 14-10 before Maddie Johnson served an ace and Lustig got back-to-back points with a kill and a block. A kill by Siena Adducci made it 18-10. Tierney and Knight both had two kills down the stretch to deliver the win to the Celtics.

“We were out of our groove early, and Coach just told us to get our [stuff] together,” said Knight, who has committed to Wright State University. “We needed to get focused. He gave us confidence by reminding us who we were.

“Emma did a great job with her serving, and the setters were putting the ball in my sweet spot all night. We have worked really hard and played together for a long time. Me and Cali and Demi have been playing together since freshman year and we all really trust each other.”

Providence, which plays Bartonville-Limestone on Monday at 6 in the Pontiac Supersectional, trailed 12-9 in the second set, but rallied to tie it at 12 on kills by Knight and Carbone and a hitting error by Evergreen Park. There were ties at 13, 15, 17 and 19 before the Celtics got two kills from Knight and a block from Lustig to make it 22-19. Evergreen Park tied it at 22, but Knight got a kill for a 23-22 lead and giving the serve to Lizzy Donlevy. After a double-hit violation by Evergreen Park, Donlevy finished the match with an ace.

“Abbey Knight is probably the best girls player I have had the pleasure to coach,” Rucinski said. “She is very talented, but she also works her butt off. When she and Cali and Demi are on like they were tonight, we are very tough to beat.

“This is a special group. Providence hadn’t won a sectional in 23 years before last year, and now they have won back-to-back titles. It’s also only the eighth 30-win season in Providence history. I am proud of these girls, but they aren’t done yet.”