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CHICAGO – Nazareth senior and four-year volleyball standout Gillian Grimes could barely talk after Friday’s Class 3A Little Village Supersectional.
Few words were necessary.
The Roadrunners’ well-earned jubilation was evident after beating De La Salle 25-12, 25-8 for their second straight downstate trip – the only ones in program history.
“It’s the best feeling,” exclaimed a hoarse Grimes, among four senior starters and four returnees from the third-place 2019 state roster.
“It’s definitely special because it’s my last year playing in the Nazareth jersey. I want to make the most out of it and I really want to make history in my last year.”
Nazareth (28-7) plays Joliet Catholic (27-13) in the 3A state semifinals Friday, Nov. 12, at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena in Normal. The Roadrunners won their Oct. 12 East Suburban Catholic Conference matchup 25-15, 25-11.
The Roadrunners have five college-committed players – Grimes (Michigan State), seniors Katie Hurta (Indiana), Abby Reid (Penn) and Ivy Schoditsch (Ferris State) and junior Kitty Sandt (Clemson).
Also contributing Friday were junior Emily Risley and sophomores Lauren Salata and Olivia Austin, who played girls soccer this past spring instead of volleyball’s COVID-adjusted season that did not include a state tournament. Sandt also focused on club volleyball in the spring.
“We’re just kind of pushing each other so we can go ahead and just do whatever we can to take that state title,” Hurta said.
“Amazing. Just knowing how hard this team (has worked). It’s like a brand new team. We had to start over with chemistry and learning everything, how everyone plays. Especially the seniors, knowing that sophomore year we want to state. We know what it feels like. Being able to go down there again, it’s just sospecial with this team.”
Sandt (11 kills), Hurta (six kills), Schoditsch (three kills, nine service points, two blocks, two aces), Reid (seven service points), Salata (three kills) and Austin (two kills) led the Nazareth attack. Grimes had five service points and two aces and added 12 digs to her more than 1,500 for her Nazareth career.
De La Salle (27-11) hung tough at 9-8 in the first set, but Nazareth pulled away with five straight points served by Reid for a 19-10 lead, including sets of consecutive kills by Sandt and Schoditsch.
Hurta’s five-point serving streak built a 13-4 advantage in the second set. Schoditsch later served six straight with an ace for a 23-6 lead.
“(In 2019) we had that record-breaking year. Last year we had the same goals and COVID kind of got in the way,” Nazareth coach Melissa Masterson said.
“It’s always harder to do something again. With this group, the goals were high to go back (in 2020) and then not even having that opportunity, I think made them even more hungry to get it and work harder. There were kind of more expectations (this season) so kind of living up to those we did it. The girls did a great job.”
The veterans reflected on their 2019 state experiences, which included Sandt sharing the success with then-senior sister Ella, and how key 2021 seniors, such as Izzy Decker, never got the chance to return downstate.
“(In 2019), we didn’t really know what was going to happen but now this year we kind of know what the feeling is, going down to state. It’s kind of natural this year,” Grimes said.
Grimes said the Roadrunners are determined not to suffer another loss in the state semifinals. As a senior, Hurta said her perspective of another state trip has changed significantly.
“Sophomore year, I did it for the seniors, just knowing how much they wanted it. Being a senior, just knowing out of respect for my teammates, wanting them to go, it’s a little different,” Hurta said. “I want them to have the same experience I got to experience sophomore year. It’s more of doing it for the rest of my team.”