Eaton guides power-hitting QND to quick victory over Pittsfield in regional semifinals

October 26, 2022 | By Steve Eighinger

The Quincy Notre Dame volleyball players celebrate winning a point during Tuesday's Class 2A QND Regional semifinal match against Pittsfield at The Pit. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

QUINCY — Annie Eaton’s smile is infectious, but don’t let that nice-girl persona fool you.

She’s the quiet assassin of the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team.

And she relishes that role.

“I like to control things out there,” Eaton said. “I like to run the offense.”

The Raiders’ floor general was at her directorial best Tuesday night, spearheading QND’s 25-8, 25-5 victory over Pittsfield in one of the two Class 2A regional semifinal matchups at The Pit.

The heavily favored Raiders (31-3) wasted little time disposing of Pittsfield (16-17). The Raiders needed 12 minutes to win the first game and 13 minutes for the clincher.

Second-seeded QND will face third-seeded Illini West (28-8) in Thursday’s 6 p.m. regional championship contest. Illini West defeated West Hancock 25-14, 25-21 in the other semifinal.

Eaton, who finished with 16 assists, said the Raiders make it a point to never take any opponent lightly. So even though Pittsfield entered the game with a .500 record, there was little chance for a QND letdown.

“We tell ourselves we have to play hard, no matter who we are playing,” Eaton said.

Notre Dame will be seeking its seventh regional title in eight years when it tangles with Illini West, a team the Raiders defeated in late September 25-15, 25-18.

Courtney Kvitle, now 140-18 in five years as Raiders coach, said Eaton is a key element in the Raiders’ bid for a “quicker tempo” each time they play.

“It all starts with our passing, and Annie does a good job with that for us,” Kvitle said.

Much of Notre Dame’s focus Tuesday night centered around getting the ball to its front line of Abbey Schreacke, Ali Entrup and Laela Hernandez-Jones.

Schreacke’s buggy-whip of a right arm, Entrup’s equally powerful slams from the right side and Hernandez-Jones’ lasers — also via the right arm — are a tough combination for any defense to try and stop. Schreacke led the trio with seven kills.

That triumvirate triggered a pair of impressive runs that allowed QND to pull away in each game, a 10-0 run late in the opening set and a 17-2 explosion to help close out the second.

“We know we are capable of accomplishing anything if we play like we can,” Hernandez-Jones said. “We know we have to play hard every game to get where we want to be.”

QND will enter Thursday’s regional championship having lost just once on its home floor this season, Oct. 5 to Macomb. The Raiders are 15-1 at The Pit.