Bombers hope to continue trend taking them toward sectional volleyball championship

MONMOUTH, Ill. — Each season, the Macomb volleyball team has inched closer to being a sectional champion.

Monday, the Bombers hope the trend continues.

Macomb will carry its 32-3 record to the Class 2A Farmington Sectional, where it will face Sherrard in the semifinals following Thursday’s 25-12, 25-19 victory over Monmouth-Roseville in the Class 2A Monmouth-Roseville Regional finals.

In 2019, when Macomb won the first of what is now three consecutive regional titles, the Bombers were eliminated in straight sets in the sectional semifinals by Downs Tri-Valley. In 2021, Macomb beat Princeton in three sets in the sectional finals before losing in straight sets to QND in the sectional championship.

“I’m excited to see if we can get a little farther this year,” Macomb coach Briana Rexroat said.

The Bombers already have cleared a couple of hurdles.

First, they were playing the Titans for the third time this season Thursday night and just one week after sweeping Monmouth-Roseville on its home floor.

“It was a little nerve-racking since this was the third time we were going to play,” Rexroat said. “I thought the girls did a nice job of staying focused.”

That was especially after the Titans attempted to give themselves a puncher’s chance despite losing the first set.

“Monmouth came out strong in the second set, got a quick lead on us,” Rexroat said. “I thought the girls did a nice job of trusting each other, trying to fight for a good spot when we were out of the system and making up for it with some outstanding digging.”