Second-set fight not enough for Blue Devils to knock off top-seeded Tigers in regional opener

GODFREY, Ill. —  Shelby Lee’s second block of the night came at the right time for the Edwardsville volleyball team. 

The junior hitter rose high for a block to break a tie between top-seeded Edwardsville and seventh-seeded Quincy late in the second set Tuesday. On the next point, the Tigers wrapped up a 25-17, 25-23 win in the Class 4A Alton Regional semifinals at Alton High School. 

“These past couple of games we’ve been really working together at the net,” Lee said about the Tigers’ front line. “It’s been coming together. We’ve been closing with some more blocks than earlier.”

Edwardsville, now 24-12, advances to the Class 4A Alton Regional championship game to face fourth-seeded Belleville West. Belleville West beat Alton in two sets on Tuesday to advance to the regional title game. 

The season ends for Quincy at 21-14. 

“They were a little nervous coming in against the first seed,” Quincy coach Kate Brown said about the Blue Devils. “We’ve been pushing mentality and having that positive mentality. They came out super strong in that second set. They started to believe that we could take that. That’s all we needed.”

After Edwarsville won the first set 25-17, Quincy responded with a quick 6-0 lead in the second set that was capitalized on with a block by Kaley Summers.

But the Tigers wouldn’t go away. 

“We just talked about relaxing and getting the next ball,” Tigers hitter Sydney Davis said. “You have to know that you can do it.”

Edwardsville used kills by Addie Reader and Lucy Goebel, and a block by Lee to make it 8-4, before two double calls against Quincy put the Tigers within two points at 8-6. 

“Quincy always comes out battling with their defense,” Edwardsville coach Heather Ohlau said. “They were playing with their season on the line. It showed with their aggressiveness and teamwork. It was nice for our girls to feel that because they had to battle.”

Despite an ace by Summers that put the Blue Devils back ahead by five at 11-6, the Tigers used their length at the net to reel off some kills. Ciara Cunningham and Davis had high-rising kills to pull Edwardsville within two points at 13-11. 

“That’s always a benefit when you have girls at the net,” Ohlau said of the Tigers’ six players at least 5-foot-10 or taller. “That takes away space. That helps our defense set up and get those good quality touches to be able to run a quick attack.”

Brown added, “That was the one thing that we noticed when we scouted them out.”

An ace by Olivia Johnes and a double call against Quincy put Edwardsville ahead 14-13 for the first time in the second set. 

Edwardsville kept the lead until a block by Summers tied it at 21-21 and an attack error by Edwardsville put Quincy up 22-21. 

A kill by Reader and an ace by Davis put the Tigers ahead 23-22, but the Blue Devils tied the second set 23-23 on a kill by Summers. 

It was Summers’ match-high seventh kill. Sophomore middle hitter Madison Loos added three kills and a match-high four blocks. Ava Crist had eight assists. 

A block by Lee and an attack error by Quincy put the finishing touches on the second-set comeback by Edwardsville. 

“I think it really helps us prepare for later (in the postseason),” Davis said. “It shows that we can face adversity and overcome it.”

Of the second-set comeback, Ohlau added, “I just think the girls realized we had to step up. If we do what we want to in the postseason, this is the first step in that process.”

Edwardsville was led by six kills each from Reader, Davis and Goebel. Reader also led in blocks with three, while Lee added two. Madelyn Ohlau added four kills and Cunningham added three. Megan Knobeloch had 13 assists, while Sara Gouy had 12 assists.