Before Saturday’s Class 3A state championship match against Normal U-High, Nazareth senior right-side hitter Jane Manecke stormed onto Doug Collins Court.

With her hands held up high, Manecke led the Roadrunners out for the pregame warmups amid a chorus of boos from the large Pioneers student section.

Throughout the season, the Roadrunners have battled the odds only to shock the state volleyball world by landing a spot in the coveted state final game on the last day of the volleyball season.

As the Cinderella of the four-class state weekend, the Roadrunners, who finished 3-31 last season, were intent on adding one more magical performance to their season. The state title match was the last place many in the program expected to be in 2025, especially with first-year coach Esai Velez unfamiliar with the players and the school.

But the Roadrunners have overcome every obstacle throughout a memorable season, earning the program’s second trip to the state title match.

On this night, Normal U-High was just too strong, too experienced and too disciplined for even the fairy-tale Roadrunners.

The Pioneers rode a big match from senior outside hitter Laney Snow to post a 25-20, 25-20 victory over the Roadrunners to win their third state title in program history at Illinois State’s CEFCU Arena.

“This is an awesome team,” Nazareth coach Esai Velez said. “I’m very happy with them and emotional because being here is a great opportunity with all that happened last year. I’m proud of this team and with what they’ve accomplished.”

The Roadrunners (21-19) fell just a few points short of notching the program’s second state championship in five years, although the second-place showing adds to a growing trophy case, which also includes a second-place effort in 2022 and a third-place medal in 2019.

Lexi Van Eekeren led the Roadrunners with five kills to go with eight digs, while Talia Surendran added four kills and 10 digs. Madeline Briscoe finished with 10 assists and seven digs and Tess Tortorello had 12 digs.

Manecke and senior outside hitter Beth Surowiec are the lone players left from the 2022 second-place team. Manecke said it was “surreal experience” returning to state as a senior compared to a freshman.

“Obviously, we’ve had very contrasting seasons,” Manecke said. “It’s been so amazing.”

Surowiec said finishing her career at state was the perfect ending.

“It was amazing,” she said. “It’s been so special and so different. I have to give credit to all the girls up here.”

The Pioneers (34-7) picked up a match-high 10 kills from Snow and Morgan Petelin was all over the court, ending with 15 digs, 15 assists and two kills to spark the hometown team.

The Roadrunners answered every rally by the Pioneers, bouncing back from deficits of 8-5, 15-9 and 24-17 to make the eventual state champs sweat out a first set victory. Manecke and Grace Gravante teamed up to help the Roadrunners early in the first set, playing strong at the net to slice the Pioneers’ lead to 11-9.

Down 24-17 in the first set, the Roadrunners woke up the crowd by playing inspiring volleyball, showcasing the grit and drive that was a driving force to their state appearance before Petelin stopped the comeback with a kill to end the set.

In the second set, the Pioneers, who closed out the season with 30 straight victories, bounced on the Roadrunners to seize a 12-6 lead. Surowiec added a kill to cut the deficit to 14-10. Trailing 22-17, the Roadrunners had one last push left in their season, chopping the score down to 22-19 following a kill by Surendran.

The junior outside hitter added another kill to put the score at 23-20, but a kill by Ava Crabtree and Madison Funk ended Nazareth’s dream of a state championship.

Eekeren, a junior setter transfer from Benet, said she enjoyed her first season playing for the Roadrunners, giving credit to the Pioneers for having a superior team. Eekeren said she “knew only two people” when she came to Nazareth, but her stellar and consistent play made her an elite player.

“They ran a really quick tempo and their girls were amazing,” Eekeren said.