Crystal Lake Central coach Amy Johnson has noticed a more unified Tigers volleyball team of late.

“We’ve just had a bit of a different mentality in the gym, and I think we’re just playing very cohesive,” said Johnson, in her fifth season as head coach. “The first three quarters of the season, we were changing our lineup every match. We made a switch to the 5-1 at the Huntley Tournament and since then we’ve just been trying to stick to one thing and roll with it.

“We’re just clicking a lot more.”

The new-look Tigers were clicking Thursday night at Woodstock’s James M.Shipley Memorial Gymnasium, defeating Woodstock North 25-13, 25-18 in their Class 3A Woodstock Regional final.

Prior to Thursday, the Tigers last won a regional title in 2019. Second-seeded Central (21-15) will play top-seeded Carmel (27-10) in a Carmel Sectional semifinal at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Last year’s Tigers team lost a late lead in the third set to Crystal Lake South to come up short of winning a regional title.

This year’s team was determined to finish the job.

“It means a lot to not only just do this as a team, but for our seniors it shows how much we’ve grown together,” said senior libero Tessa Popp, who recorded 11 digs to lead Central’s defense. “We never doubted ourselves. We always said we’d have the potential to get that regional title. We knew we could control what was on our side.”

After pulling away for the first set win, the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to turn a 12-7 deficit into a 13-12 lead in the second. Senior Alexis Hadeler (seven kills, six digs, block) smashed three kills during the run, and freshman Clara Dobbertin (five kills, nine digs) recorded two of her match-high three aces.

Freshman setter Katie Piech (18 assists) made a dump kill to give the Tigers a 15-13 lead. Hadeler’s seventh kill made it 18-15, an Emily Mazza kill made it 21-17, a Popp ace made it 23-17 and a Dobbertin kill ended the match.

“I think we really changed our mindset this year. That we need to go out there and make a statement,” Hadeler said of winning a regional title for the first time in six years as a program. “Past years we weren’t scouting a lot and doing what we needed to do. We just can’t look past opponents, and we just have to stay in the moment.”

Woodstock North first-year coach Rebekah Sellek said the difference in size at the net was a big factor.

“We gave it our all,” Sellek said. “Defensively, we played our hearts out. We do what we can with our size, and the girls fought. Most regional championships, everything is so heightened ... nerves feel a little crazy. But we were able to calm down a little bit there and play our game.”

Senior setter Gabby Schefke finished with 14 assists, a kill and six digs for the Thunder, sophomore Ava Kardaras and junior Jenna Johnson smashed five kills apiece, and senior libero Madison Sofie added seven digs and two aces.

Woodstock North finished 23-13 and was the co-Kishwaukee River Conference champion with Richmond-Burton. It was the Thunder’s first KRC title since winning three in a row from 2020-2022.

Schefke became the program’s all-time leader in aces (both career and single season) this year. She said the team entered the season with some uncertainty.

“We were honestly walking into the season like, ‘What do we have this year?’ ” Schefke said. “And then coming out and tying for conference this year was awesome. We were able to pull out a lot of games this year where no one thought we were supposed to.”

Central will look to win its first sectional since 2017, when the Tigers took third at the Class 4A state tournament.

“We’re very physical. We have good size and I think if we can just stay cohesive and keep the same mindset we’ve been having, we can win,” Johnson said. “At this point of the season, everyone you see is going to be good. It’s just going to be about who steps up, so I’m excited for the opportunity.”