When Downers Grove North senior and four-year starter Kelley Crowley needs a steady influence on the volleyball court, she counts on a freshman.

Madi Mastalarz became the primary setter after an early October injury to sophomore setter Ellery Cabaj, last year’s freshman starter.

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Class 4A Lyons Sectional Semifinal Volleyballl: Downers Grove South at Downers Grove North Downers Grove North celebrates their win over Downers Grove South in the Class 4A Lyons Sectional Semifinal volleyball match. Nov 4, 2025 in La Grange. (Gary E Duncan Sr)

“(Mastalarz is) playing six rotations as a freshman. Madi’s really filled the role of being a leader and staying clam,” Crowley said. “She’s one of our calmest players and she’s only a freshman. It’s just so impressive because I was not like that.”

The Trojans remained calm Tuesday despite facing rival Downers Grove South in the Class 4A Lyons Township Sectional semifinals. They withstood several comebacks and powerful attacks and serves to prevail 26-24, 25-23.

“It’s been fun, looking up to all of the seniors and upperclassmen, watching what they do and mirroring them,” Mastalarz said.

“I just knew I had to step up and that my team needed a person as a setter. A setter is a very important part on the court so even being the youngest on the team, (It’s a challenge) leading the court and trying to run the offense”

Downers North (27-11), the sectional’s No. 2 seed, meets top-seeded Oak Park River Forest (25-7) for the sectional title at 6 p.m. Thursday. The West Suburban Conference Silver co-champions split two meetings this season with the Trojans winning the Sept. 30 match that counted in the conference standings.

Crowley had a team-best 10 kills along with three aces and five digs and sever service points.

Mastalarz had 13 assists and two aces. Other standouts included Nicole Liu (6 kills, 4 aces, 7 digs), Brynn Burkhardt (19 digs), Anabel Miller (9 digs) and Nora Benjamins (2 kills).

“(Mastalarz becoming setter) was like starting over on many levels. We’ve just been working up to this point and she’s been doing a great job for us,” Downers North coach Mark Wasik said. “Of course, if she makes a mistake, I (joke), ‘Ah. Freshman.’ But she does not otherwise play like a freshman. She’s so solid.”

Downers South leaders included Lauren Curran (8 kills), Jennifer Curran (7 kills), Ciara Steward (6 kills, 4 aces, 9 service points), Jayda Dixon (6 kills), Niya Mincheva (20 assists, 9 digs, 2 aces), Keegan O’Keefe (17 digs) and Leah Blaylock (8 digs).

Wasik and Downers South coach Madisen Babich agreed Tuesday’s match was quite different than when the Mustangs swept the visiting Trojans 25-12, 25-14 Oct. 16. The Mustangs also beat the Trojans in last year’s sectional final.

“That (sectional) loss stuck with me the whole year until now. Losing to them again three weeks ago was just a kick in the butt,” Crowley said.

“Coming into today, we were super confident but we had to keep that neutral level. Just beating them was great, but we’re not done yet.”

Masalarz helped with back-to-back aces that gave Downers North a 23-18 lead in the second set. But the Mustangs responded and tied the set 23-23 after four points served by Steward with two aces.

Following a missed serve to give the Trojans match point, the match ended when a Downers South player touched the net contending for a 50-50 ball.

“Downers South’s strength is their serve and no lead is big enough with their serve. A testament to their ability to stay aggressive,” Wasik said. “We just hung on enough, made that one extra dig, one extra swing. Our girls were really gassed so we had to make sure we got that in two (sets).”

Downers South trailed 22-17 in the first set but tied it 24-24 after consecutive kills from Dixon. Liu then had back-to-back kills to give the Trojans the set.

“It’s a bad feeling for all 19 of us (players and coaches) to know that we did not play our game tonight when we needed to,” Babich said.

“I think that’s what stings the most was we didn’t leave our best volleyball on the floor. Not taking anything away from Downers North. They kept everything alive. Kelley Crowley played her best game that I’ve seen in a long time.”

In the earlier semifinal, OPRF rallied past No. 4 Lyons Township 13-25, 25-14, 25-25-20.

Taylor Carroll (11 kills), Colleen Chambers (21 assists, 14 digs), Julia Ahrens (10 digs, Olivia Pora (8 kills) and Kate Heatherly (7 digs) led the Lions (24-13), who handed the Huskies their only Silver defeat 28-26, 20-25, 29-27 Oct. 7.

After the Lions dominated Tuesday’s first set, OPRF had 25 kills with six attack errors over the final two combined with aggressive and strategic serving.

“We started off the match extremely strong,” LT coach Jill Bober said. “Unfortunately, I think our serve receive faltered a little bit and we weren’t connecting as well with our hitters and OPRF started getting that momentum and we weren’t able to stop them quickly.”