Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Season of milestones for Mater Dei; Knights punch state volleyball ticket

CHATHAM -- The season of milestones continued Saturday for coach Fred Rakers and the Mater Dei Knights.

Less than two weeks removed from earning his 1,000th career coaching victory, Rakers watched as senior Tabatha Albers and sophomore Brooke Schulte helped Mater Dei wear down Champaign Centennial 25-19, 25-15 at the Class 3A Chatham-Glenwood Super-Sectional.

The Knights (34-6) simply had too much firepower for the Chargers, who used the serving of Melanie Moore to stay close in the first game.

Getting three service points each from Kaley Boeckmann and Allison Mueller in the second game, the Knights rolled out to an early 7-1 lead and were never threatened as they rolled into the semifinals of the Class 3A state tournament.

The state tournament appearance will be the team's 19th under Rakers.

"Absolutely, I thought we could get back to the state tournament. Every year when we start in August, our objective is to be playing in the state semifinals," Rakers said. "We knew we had a very young team to start the season, but we've come along nicely.

"Except for a little period there tonight when we had little difficulty with our service return, I thought we played well."

The Knights will take on Sycamore (34-6) in the first state semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal.

Sycamore defeated Normal University High 25-14, 25-12 at the Sterling Super-Sectional.

The Knights appeared to be in control early in the first game, jumping out to a 10-3 lead following a kill by the high-flying Schulte, a tip by Boeckmann and a thundering kill by Abbey Winter.

But just as quickly, seven straight points by Moore, including three aces, gave Centennial (34-6) an 11-10 lead.

"We didn't adjust well right there. All we had to do was move over," Rakers said. "Any team this time of year is going to be good and I thought Centennial was improved over the team we beat here last year.

"After we were able to get back on track I thought we played well."

The Chargers managed to stay close, trailing just 17-15, but their fourth service error of the first game, followed by a kill by Schulte and an ace by Alyssa Hiptas, gave Mater Dei a comfortable 20-15 lead.

A pair of kills by Winter, followed by an ace by Boeckmann got the Knights to game point, which went their way when Centennial's Alysson Gatens smashed a kill attempt into the net.

It was more of the same in game two as the Chargers managed to hang close early before the power of the Knights proved to be more than they could handle.

Two blocks and tip by Albers followed by a kill by Boeckmann increased an already substantial Mater Dei lead to 23-13 late in the game.