Western eighth grade volleyball team finishes second at state tournament

KANKAKEE, Ill. — The Western eighth grade girls volleyball team pushed the powerhouse Pontiac St. Mary’s squad further than anyone.

Still, St. Mary’s continued its reign.

Western rallied for a 28-26 victory in the second set of Saturday’s Illinois Elementary School Association Class 8-1A state championship match, but St. Mary’s finished off back-to-back titles with a 25-22, 26-18, 25-14 victory at Bishop McNamara High School.

Western caps its season with a 21-3 record and second-place state finish.

In the championship match, Alysa Bareis led Western with nine service points, while Sophie Rennecker had seven service points and Olivia Harris finished with six.

Western opened the state tournament with a 25-13, 20-25, 25-18 victory over Royal Prairieview Ogden in Friday night’s quarterfinals. Bareis had 18 service points and Macy Oitker added 15 service points, while Harris added four.

In Saturday morning’s semifinals, Western defeated LaSalle Trinity Catholic 25-18, 25-19. Harris finished with nine service points, while Alexis McMullen and Rennecker had five service points apiece.

In the Class 8-2A tournament, Mendon Unity suffered a 25-22, 19-25, 25-9 loss to Bloomington Corpus Christi in Friday’s quarterfinals. Jersey Nichols led Unity with 12 service points, while Morgan Arnsman had nine service points and five aces, and Michael Voth had nine service points and two aces.

Unity finished its season with a 17-10 record.