The top of the Illinois Central Eight Conference volleyball standings are shaping up to be very competitive this season.

Both Coal City and Peotone came in to Thursday’s matchup looking to pick up a win to stay in the top half of the conference, but it was the visiting Coalers (9-8-1, 3-2) who picked up a win in straight sets over the Blue Devils (9-5, 2-3), 25-17 and 25-21.

It was the Coalers’ third win in their last four matches overall and third win in their last four ICE matches following a loss to Lisle in their conference opener on Sept. 2. Their only conference loss since then was a three-set thriller with first-place Manteno that was decided by just seven total points across the three sets.

Sophomore middle hitter Maggie Carlson, who led the team with seven kills Thursday, said the team has been focused on putting that loss to Lisle behind it.

“We worked so hard these past couple weeks to really prove who we are,” she said. “After starting off (conference play) on a rough loss to Lisle, we’ve really grown. I’m so excited for the rest of our season.”

Carlson is one of four Coalers to record five or more kills in Thursday’s win. Seniors Riley Walker and Ava Kenney had six and five kills, respectively, while freshman Darcie Ladas also had five.

Senior setter Sydney Larson dished out 17 assists, and coach Pam McMurtrey said Larson’s experience paired with the team’s depth is a recipe for success.

“She has so many options to go to,” McMurtrey said. “If she’s off she can go to a back-row attacker, and we’re hitting really well from the back row as well. Just with all the options, it’s nice to be able to go anywhere that she needs to go. She mixed the ball up really well tonight, and it was an advantage because it was a disadvantage to (Peotone’s) blockers.”

Larson is also a key part of the team’s senior core, along with players like Walker, Kenney and Keirsten Gabehart, that has provided stability after the departure of eight seniors from last season’s ICE runner-up team.

McMurtrey said this group has done a great job setting the tone for underclassmen like Carlson, Ladas, freshman Olivia Ferrari and sophomore Ashlyn Siron.

“We have four underclassmen on the court a lot of the time,” McMurtrey said. “They’re just super comforting to our underclassmen. They make it fun for them, and they don’t make them feel like underclassmen. They make them feel like they’re huge and they’re seniors, and it’s great that our seniors are doing that.”

Larson said the team’s younger players and more experienced players have been able to gel on and off the court, and she thinks that can help them continue to be competitive as they move forward through a tough conference.

“Our freshman and underclassmen have worked so hard this year,” she said. “We bond really well, I think, as a group. This has been one of the closest groups I’ve ever been a part of, and I think that really brings the chemistry.”

The Coalers will join ICE opponents Manteno and Wilmington for nonconference competition at the Manteno Invite on Saturday. They then get back into conference play hosting Herscher on Sept. 23 and then visiting Wilmington on Sept. 25.

Peotone will look to get back on track in a nonconference matchup against Bishop McNamara on Sept. 22 before hosting Manteno the next day and visiting Herscher on Sept. 25.

Mia Connolley led the Blue Devils with five kills on Thursday while Payton Schnelle added four. Ella Stupegia had 17 digs.

Peotone coach Kathy Barger said she felt the team had a hard time finding its feet early on against Coal City, but was happy with how the Blue Devils fought throughout. That level of competitiveness will be necessary heading forward in the ICE.

“I think we always compete,” she said. “It’s really anybody’s game in this conference, especially at that top half. Everyone is really playing very well. I’m just looking for my team to keep improving.”