Volleyball: Marquette falls in straight sets to Lexington in 1A sectional semifinal

RURAL STREATOR – When Marquette Academy’s Kealey Rick’s serve to open Monday’s Class 1A Woodland Sectional semifinal against Lexington hit the top of the net and harmlessly dropped untouched to the floor it looked like a sign of good things to follow.

The Minutemen must not have saw it the same way.

Lexington (22-13-1) was solid throughout the match and used long runs in both sets in advancing to Wednesday’s championship with a 25-16, 25-18 victory at the Warrior Dome over the Crusaders (30-7).

“We were never really able to get in sync, and it very hard to be playing catch up like we were. They just outplayed us, it’s as simple as that. It just wasn’t our night.”

—  Mindy McConnaughhay, Marquette Academy volleyball coach

Lexington defeated Marquette in three sets to start the season.

“I feel like we scouted [Lexington] very well, but you know what, they were just the better team tonight,” Marquette coach Mindy McConnaughhay said. “They just played better overall, and we unfortunately let our nerves get the best of us a lot tonight. We were never really able to get in sync, and it is very hard to be playing catch up like we were. They just outplayed us, it’s as simple as that. It just wasn’t our night.

“We knew a big key for us would be to put up a solid block. Lexington runs a very quick offense and much of the match we just weren’t getting to the spots we needed consistently enough.”

Rick’s match starting ace was followed by a pair of Lexington errors, but a sideout kill by Mary Doll and three-point serving burst by Makayla Ziegler put the Minutemen in front for good. Marquette trailed 14-10 after consecutive kills by Lilly Craig and Makayla Backos, but Lexington scored nine of the next 10 points with a six-point run by Avery Poppe including three Crusaders hitting errors and two kills from Eva McCue.

“Marquette runs much more of its offense to the middles, way more than another other team we’ve played in the postseason that have been outside dominate. Even back when we played them the first match of the season, we saw Marquette uses its middle hitters well,” Lexington coach Kelli Aho said. “Trying to take the middle away was near the top of the things we talked about needing to do.

“I thought my team did a great job of understanding which Marquette players were in the front row, their strengths, and adjusting to coverage. We were a little shaky right at start of the match, a lot of nerves, but I felt like we settled in. We also had a little lull there in the middle of the second set but were able to get back on track from there.”

Lexington held leads of 6-3, 9-4 and 12-5 in the second set before Marquette regrouped to tie things up. A pair of aces by Masie Lyons and a middle kill by Craig close the gap to 12-10, before a block and kill by Avery Durdan tied the set at 13.

From there, a Marquette hitting error, an ace by Lexington’s Claire Peacock and consecutive winning swings by Poppe push the Minutemen ahead by six. The Cru closed to within 22-18 on kills by Maera Jimenez and Durdan, but Lexington scored the final three points, the last a kill by Cori Pearce.

Mary Lechtenberg led Marquette with four kills and a block, while Craig had three kills and a block, and Anna Hjerpe, Backos, Jimenez and Durdan had two kills each. Rick and Jimenez each passed off for eight assists, while Emma Rinearson had eight digs, followed by Lyons and Nora Rinearson with six each and Kelsey Cuchra four.

Poppe recorded a match-high 10 kills for Lexington, with Ziegler, McCue and Pearce adding three apiece.

“I coached these seniors since seventh grade, and I still remember our first practice back then. It was not good,’ McConnaughhay said with a smile. “We won 30 matches, the [Tri-County Conference] tournament and a regional. That’s a tremendous season.

“They came full circle with hard work, and I couldn’t be prouder of the players and young ladies they’ve become.”