Class 1A Volleyball Regional: Woodland advances, ends Serena’s season in three-set thriller

HENRY – Over the years there have been many clichés – like the teams traded punches or they went toe-to-toe – used to describe two evenly matched squads meeting in competition.

Those phrases, or any like them, would be a spot-on description of Monday’s quarterfinal volleyball match between No. 8-seeded Woodland and No. 7-seeded Serena at the Class 1A Henry-Senachwine Regional.

The Huskers captured the opening set, but the Warriors bounced back to claim the final two to move on with a 23-25, 26-24, 25-23 triumph.

Woodland (20-8) now advances to take on top-seeded Yorkville Christian at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, while Serena ends its season 18-7.

The Warriors were led by 10 kills and a pair of aces from senior Ella Sibert, seven kills from Emma Highland, and six kills and eight digs from Clara Downey. Kaleigh Benner added three kills and 22 service points, including six aces, Shae Simons had 10 points and 15 assists, and Jena Easton added seven assists. Huskers junior Paige Sexton had a huge night with 21 kills, five aces and 14 points. Katie Baker had 10 kills, and Madi Schupp (three aces) and Sophie Thompson had eight and six points, respectively.

“The girls really wanted to win this match, and the want is something you can’t coach,” Woodland coach Michelle Pitte said. “They had great communication and were there to cover for each other all night. This match is how it should be at a regional, it should be fun, it should be intense, and you should have to play well to win. This was two really even teams, and most of the time its the one that makes a couple plays in the final moments of sets that wins the match.”

In the third and deciding set, Serena jumped out to a 9-4 lead after a Baker kill, but a five-point run by Benner – which included a pair of aces and kills from Highland and Sibert – gave Woodland a 14-12 lead. The teams played to four ties, the last at 23-all, before a Huskers hitting error and net violation on match point ended the thrilling back-and-forth affair.

“We had a great season,” Serena coach Chris Bjork said. “We finished 18-7 and we lost a lot of close ones, too, where we shot ourselves in the foot. I thought coming in tonight we were probably two really even teams, and I think the play and scores proved that. This was a super scrappy game on both sides, but they were just able to make a couple key plays at the end of both the second and third sets to earn a well-deserved victory. [Woodland] is a very good team, and I wish them the best of luck [Wednesday].”

Woodland jumped to a 7-0 advantage in the opening set, but a four-point spurt from Sexton – who had 11 kills in the first set – and a six-point run by Schupp had Serena up 21-20. After a Warriors service error, Sexton put down three consecutive kills, and after Woodland closed to within one point, Baker finished off the set with a left-side, cross court winner.

“It’s sad to know my seniors played their last high school game tonight, and this had been one of the hardest working groups I’ve had in 10 years of coaching volleyball,” Bjork said. “We have seniors that we’re going to miss, but we also have solid juniors and sophomores coming up that will fill those spots. The future looks pretty bright for Serena volleyball in the coming years.”

The teams traded points early in Set 2 before Benner and Sexton each provide their respective teams with long service runs. Serena held a 24-22 lead, but two kills by Downey, the second after an epic rally with the score tied at 24-all, an ace by Simons and a Huskers net violation sent the match to a third set.

“I’m so proud of our captain, Ella Sibert,” Pitte said. “She stepped up on the court and took control of this team, but really she has done that all season. We’ll need her to do that tonight and will need that again [Wednesday]. We will come back over here and give it all we have, I know that for sure.”