Benet middle hitter Lynney Tarnow never loses confidence in her abilities.

Even on the rare occasions when things aren’t going her way, the 6-foot-5 senior stays in the moment.

“She’s just such a calming presence when we need it,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “When we need a big kill, I think the gym knows we’re going to her.

“She’s just unshakable and she’s been in so many of these moments. She doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low and she’s just a rock for us.”

The Wisconsin-bound Tarnow proved it again in the championship game of Glenbard East’s Autumnfest on Saturday. She recorded nine kills, six service points, two blocks and an ace to help the Redwings beat Mother McAuley 25-23, 25-22.

The match was a potential preview of the Class 4A state title game and neither side disappointed. Mother McAuley (29-4) played without setter Peyton Heatherly, who had the flu, but still gave the Redwings (31-2) a stiff battle.

That was particularly true in the second set, when the Mighty Macs took a 20-15 lead before Maryland recruit Brooklynne Brass spiked one of her 10 kills to begin an impressive comeback.

Tarnow, who had three service errors at that point, stepped to the service line and proceeded to reel off four straight points, including an ace.

“I just knew that our team needed a little bit of help, so I just really wanted to get those serves in,” Tarnow said. “I really thought I could do the best that I could on the serving line, and it went my way.

“I put some tempo on them and it seemed to work out pretty well for us.”

Indeed, two Brass kills, a block from junior middle Sophia Youssef and Tarnow’s ace pulled Benet into a 20-20 tie.

“The first one I try and just get in,” Tarnow said of her serving strategy. “I’m thinking to myself positive thoughts, and then after that I’m really trying to serve a little bit harder and really hit seams.”

McAuley retook the lead on a Benet net violation, but a Brass kill and a block from Marquette-bound senior right-side Molly Welge put the Redwings up 22-21.

The Mighty Macs tied it thanks to a Benet service error, but Brass responded with a kill and then served the final two points, scoring on an ace and another Welge block.

“It’s great,” Tarnow said of the tournament title. “It’s a lot of motivation for us.

“They were a really great team and it’s good to get every win we can. They’re a team we obviously have history with, so it’s always fun playing them, and then going back to practice and taking what we learned from this game and using it to help us get better.”

Tarnow, who was named to the all-tournament team along with Brass, who took MVP honors, continues to get better in her fourth season on varsity. She’s been dominating in key situations, including in the first set against McAuley, when she recorded two kills and two blocks after the Mighty Macs tied the set at 19-19.

“She’s been killing it this whole week,” Benet setter Ellie Stiernagle said of Tarnow. “On Tuesday I think she had like 10 kills versus Marist, so she’s been absolutely on fire lately.”

The entire team was smoldering on Saturday. Stiernagle, a Northwestern commit, dished 25 assists to go with two kills, while Welge had five kills and three blocks. Youssef and Rhode Isalnd-bound senior outside Sophia Chinetti both had two kills.

That was enough to offset the play of McAuley outside Cayla Prohaska, who led all players with 11 kills. Prohaska did not score during Benet’s closing 10-2 run.

“I thought that we were really confident through the whole match,” Stiernagle said. “I thought that our energy was really good.

“We just needed to be a little bit grittier. I think we got four blocks in the last 10 points, so that was really helpful.”