Rock Falls volleyball opens postseason with win over Newman

STERLING – A Rock Falls volleyball team that entered the season without much experience hopes to continue the success the Rockets have had over the years.

The seventh-seeded Rockets are off to a good start.

Rock Falls beat Newman Central Catholic 25-12, 25-18 on Monday to open the postseason at the Class 2A Newman Regional to set up a semifinal match with third-seeded Sherrard (24-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Rock Falls coach Jolene Bickett liked the team’s draw heading into the postseason.

“We have very little returning experience for postseason,” she said. “So getting this game before another opportunity [Tuesday] is key. We’re a little bit green.

“I was really excited about how they came out pretty confident and took care of business right away in Set 1.”

The Rockets (17-17) jumped out to a 7-0 lead en route to handling the opening set. The Comets (2-32-1) competed better in the second set, trailing just 9-8 before Rock Falls pulled away.

Ari Reyna had eight kills and Kaltrina Lecaj added five kills and 11 digs for Rock Falls. Miley Bickett had 19 assists and nine digs, and Elizabeth Lombardo had 10 digs.

Lombardo, a senior and one of Rock Falls’ only players with postseason experience, has tried help the younger players transition into larger roles.

“We have a lot of underclassmen,” she said. “So I think we kind of just show that we’re excited for this, and it really pumps up the whole team.”

Lombardo knows the postseason can be stressful.

“I think by us not stressing out about it, it kind of calms them down a little bit,” she said.

Lombardo said staying calm, coming out strong and giving their best effort will be key Tuesday.

“We really have nothing to lose, and I truly think we can make it far,” she said. “We just all need to come in as a team and just lock in.”

Coach Bickett hopes the team can continue to play well on defense.

“We’ve been successful year-in, year-out with defense,” Bickett said. “So as long as we can put a hand on the ball, I think we have a great shot at being the dark horse.”

With 35-plus wins the past three years and a third-place finish at state last year, Rock Falls had been used to getting a team’s best shot. Bickett is in her first season as head coach after assisting former coach Sheila Pillars. Pillars retired after last season after 26 years, nine regional championships, three sectional titles and last year’s trophy.

“This year, we’ve got the ‘X’ off our back, and I don’t feel like there’s any pressure whatsoever,” Bickett said. “We’ll give it our best shot.”

For Newman, it’s been a year of growing pains, but the team continued to compete and lift each other Monday.

“You’ve got to go out playing your best, and I think they really responded in that second game,” Newman coach Debbi Kelly said. “It kind of showed that there are some things there that we can continue to grow with.”

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Newman’s Kennedi Shippert spikes against Rock Falls’ Ari Reyna (left) and Kayla Hackbarth Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, during regional play at Newman. (Alex T. Paschal)