After dropping its first postseason game a season ago, the Grace Christian volleyball team came into Monday’s IHSA Class 1A Dwight Regional quarterfinal matchup with Clifton Central looking to keep the 2025 season alive a little longer.

Thanks to a rally from a late deficit in the opening set that carried over to a more comfortable win in the second, the No. 7 Crusaders (11-13) took down the No. 10 Comets (9-19) in straight sets to avoid a second straight early exit.

It was the second time the Crusaders beat their River Valley Conference rival Comets this season, the first being a 21-25, 25-21, 25-18 win on Sept. 23.

“We won against them in three (during the regular season), so it feels good to actually see our progress and see we’re getting better,” senior Gracie Reynolds said. “I think we’re going to win all of regionals. I’m pretty proud of us, and I want to end with a bang.”

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 10

Volleyball - Class 1A Dwight Regional: Grace Christian vs. Clifton-Central Grace Christian's Gracie Reynolds spikes the ball against Clifton Central's Gemma Sifrit, right, and Maddie Webb during the Crusaders' victory in two sets, 25-20, 25-16, over Clifton Central in the IHSA Class 1A Dwight Regional quarterfinals on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Grace Christian will face another RVC opponent in Wednesday’s semifinal in No. 2 Gardner-South Wilmington. The Panthers originally had a semifinal against CICS/Ellington scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, but the Lions forfeited.

But before the Crusaders could worry about the semifinals, they had to find a way out of a 20-17 deficit in Monday’s opening set.

It turned out that Reynolds was the key to erasing that deficit.

After a timeout, the Olivet Nazarene commit notched a kill to make it 20-18, and then went to the service line to guide the Crusaders to seven more points in a row to close the set, recording four of her eventual eight aces during that run. She also led the team with six kills.

“I think I saw a shift in their energy, like they realized it’s now or never,” head coach Courtney Johnson said. ”Obviously Gracie serving a bunch of aces in a row really helped build us, but they’re really good about whatever momentum they’ve been given, they’re going to try to hold onto it."

The second set was close early on, with Grace Christian leading 8-7 before going on another lengthy run to make the score 19-8 and held on for a 25-16 win.

Up next is the season’s third clash with Gardner-South Wilmington. The Crusaders taking losses in the first two, the first was came on Sept. 30 when the Panthers won a dramatic opening set 29-27 and a tight second set 25-22.

On Oct. 20, the Crusaders dropped a three-set match to the Panthers in the third-place game of the RVC Tournament. That win for the Panthers (18-16) was one of just two victories in their final 10 matches heading into the postseason.

Grace Christian junior Sarah Rauwolf, who ranks a close second to Reynolds in kills this season and added four on Monday, said she and her teammates are looking forward to another shot at the Panthers following those close losses.

“I’m very confident that we have a good shot,” she said. “They’re a good team, but I think if we play to our best, we can take that game.”

For the Comets, the 2025 season was certainly an improvement over last year’s 3-26 campaign.

Seniors Eriannah Martinez, Alexa White, Charli Behrens, Addison Faulkner, Rayven Perkins and Kaitlyn Balthazor provided some continuity for a relatively young roster that featured five freshman and a sophomore on varsity.

One of those freshman, Ellis Perzee, emerged as the team’s top middle throughout the season. She tied for the team lead with four kills Monday and led the way with three blocks.

Sophomore setter Gemma Sifrit split time at the position with Behrens and saw plenty of time on the court Monday, leading the team with five aces.

“Those are the two we’re really looking for next year,” head coach Amber Boudreau said. “A lot of the other (young players) really have made progress this year. If they stick with it and keep putting in the work, I see them getting on the court quite a bit more next year.

“...Overall I’m super proud of these girls. The seniors stepped up, and they had a great season.”