Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Midgets easily collar Staunton, head on to volleyball super-sectional

COLUMBIA -- The defending state champion Freeburg Midgets have found their focus.

The Midgets dispatched the Staunton Bulldogs 25-10, 25-4 Thursday in the championship match of the Class 2A Columbia Volleyball Sectional.

The match lasted 35 minutes.

"I think the past couple of games we have been really good, really solid,'' Freeburg senior middle hitter Kayleigh Cox said. "I think something just clicked, and we're like, 'We have to do this now. This is when we have to step up, and not let up or let teams get ahead us when we think it's going to be easy.'''

Cox said the Midgets were guilty of letting down in some matches earlier in the season.

"It's definitely been a problem,'' Cox said. "We'd play teams that we thought were (easy), and we'd end up going three games. It's definitely an improvement from the beginning.''

Freeburg coach Lesa Bolt said she preaches not taking any opponent lightly, especially in the postseason.

"I am always reminding them that we take no opponent lightly because everybody is going to try to have their best game because if they don't, they're done,'' Bolt said. "I think they understand that because we have been in those situations before and kind of let up. Early in the season, a team would really push us. We didn't want to go three games. We knew we had to come up strong.''

The Midgets (36-2) will play the Murphysboro Red Devils (34-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Greenville Super-Sectional.

Murphysboro beat Fairfield 25-20, 25-11 Thursday in the championship match of the Harrisburg Sectional.

The winner of the Greenville Super-Sectional will advance to the Class 2A State Tournament next week at Redbird Arena in Normal.

"I think they know what they want, so they just want to keep driving,'' Bolt said of her team. "They'd like to get back to state.''

The Midgets rolled out to an 8-2 lead after back-to-back aces from Cox in the first game.

With Colleen Yarber and then Maddy Hogan serving, the Midgets went on an 8-2 surge that put them ahead 17-7.

The final two points of the game came on an ace by Cox and a block by Kelsey Robertson.

Cox had another service run in the second game as the Midgets turned a 2-2 tie into a 9-3 lead.

Kasey Wahlig served up eight straight points and Yarber served up the last seven points, including back-to-back aces to close out the match.

"Our passing was a little bit off in the first game, so I think they cleaned that up in the second,'' Bolt said. "They didn't have quite as bad of sets, so they were able to put more balls down right away.''

Yarber had seven kills and Chelsi Hummert had six kills for the Midgets, who won their 19th straight match.

The Bulldogs ended their season at 23-6.

"I am so proud,'' Staunton coach Andrea Prante said. "Last year, we were 15-11, so this is a huge stride for us. I had four returning starters from last year, and I'm losing one senior this year. The majority of the girls are back next year, so we are looking for another good season next year.''

Prante said the match against the Midgets was a learning experience that could pay dividends for her squad next season.

"Playing the team of this caliber is a great experience, and now we know what we need to do to be at this level,'' Prante said. "They definitely see now what it takes to be a No. 1 team in the state.''