Prairie Ridge’s Addi and Abby Smith are each other’s biggest supporters.

“[Abby] does a really good job of always being ready,” said Addi, the Wolves’ starting setter. “When I reverse the ball to her, she’s there every time. She’s also very supportive and a really good blocker, as well. She’s just always very reliable.”

“Addi knows where she needs to put the ball every time the ball goes into her hands, which is absolutely insane to me,” said Abby, one of Prairie Ridge’s top attackers. “She sees the entire court at all times and knows exactly who to set to and exactly at what moment.

“It always works out in the end.”

The Wolves’ senior twins are a big reason why Prairie Ridge finds itself back at the Class 3A state tournament, which starts Friday. The duo’s chemistry shined Monday in a 21-25, 25-20, 25-22 comeback win against St. Viator in a Class 3A Streamwood Supersectional.

Addi Smith recorded 37 assists, 10 digs and three kills, and Abby Smith posted a team-high 16 kills, adding three blocks. Abby, a lefty, put down kills for the 22nd, 23rd and 24th points of the second set to help extend the match and the Wolves’ season.

First-year coach Leah Groat has enjoyed the show, which will continue next year for the Smiths – albeit at different schools.

Addi Smith will play at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, and Abby at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York – both NCAA Division-II programs.

“It’s been so fun to watch and get to see them play together at this level,” Groat said. “Especially knowing it’s their season year, they only have two more volleyball games left at this point. It will be hard when we get there, but it’s been awesome to be a part of it.

“They’ve been such a huge part of this.”

Top-seeded Prairie Ridge (32-7) will face No. 1 Normal University (36-4) in a state semifinal at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Illinois State University’s CEFCU Arena, with the winner advancing to meet No. 1 Providence (34-6) or No. 4 Nazareth (21-17) in Saturday’s championship.

Addi Smith was one of two setters on the Wolves last season with 2025 graduate Grace Jansen, also playing right side. This year, she’s been the exclusive operator of the Wolves’ 5-1 offense.

She surpassed 1,000 career assists in Prairie Ridge’s regional championship win against Crystal Lake South – 876 of those have come this season. Addi Smith, however, is not strictly setting up teammates. She also has 100 kills this year, along with 42 aces, 210 digs and 28 blocks.

“She’s amazing,” Abby said of her sister.

The Smiths grew up playing basketball, but eventually found volleyball through a friend when they attended a clinic. Addi, with her good hands, gravitated toward setter. Abby, though, said hitting was much more fun.

“We’re better at volleyball,” Addi said.

“We haven’t looked back,” Abby added.

Like most sisters, the Smiths aren’t afraid to correct each other.

“We know what each other is thinking, but we’re also not afraid to tell each other what we can do better,” Addi said. “I always tell her if she’s too early or too late, and she tells me if my sets aren’t good. We’re honest with each other, but we’re really big supporters of each other.”

With the Smiths leading the way, Prairie Ridge will look to make history this weekend.

The Wolves are playing at state for the fifth time in program history. They took second in 2004 and 2005 (AA), fourth in 2018 (4A) and third a year ago (3A).

Prairie Ridge has been playing without junior and Missouri commit Maizy Agnello, who broke the team record with 483 kills last year, for the past month because of an ankle injury. At last year’s state tournament, she pounded 20 kills in the third-place match.

Junior outside Adeline Grider, along with Abby Smith, have stepped up offensively in Agnello’s absence. Grider had 15 kills in the supersectional against St. Viator and leads the team with 301 kills. Junior libero Tegan Vrbancic leads the team with 388 digs, while Abby Smith (45), junior Sonora Bekere and senior Serpico (38) lead in blocks.

“She’s an irreplaceable player, she’s amazing,” Groat said of Agnello. “But the girls have stepped up and filled that void and done an amazing job. A lot of our players that may not get a bunch of time might be starters for other programs. It speaks to the depth of our roster and our bench.

“They’re just really talented kids.”

The hungry Wolves hope last year’s state experience proves valuable.

“We really want to win. We know we’ve made it this far, so there’s no reason to stop now,” Addi Smith said.