Mahomet-Seymour volleyball meets No. 1 Normal U-High for the sectional title showdown

By FRED KRONER

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Mahomet-Seymour volleyball

Two of the state’s top Class 3A volleyball teams will take the court at Mahomet-Seymour on Thursday (Nov. 7) at 6 p.m

The host Bulldogs, ranked fourth in Illinois according to Maxpreps, will face top-rated Normal University High in an IHSA championship game.

Both schools advance to the finals with overall 35-3 season records. MS has won 15 games in a row. U-High has won its last seven.

The two programs are no strangers to postseason play.

This is the fifth consecutive year the IHSA has conducted a postseason series pitting MS and U-High against each other.

The last three meetings were all regional championship showdowns. U-High won each, with the last two requiring three sets.

In 2020, the IHSA canceled the postseason due to COVID-19. In 2019, when the sectional was held at MS, U-High ended the Bulldogs’ season in the semifinals.

MS cleared the semifinal hurdle on Tuesday (Nov. 5), defeating 30-win Apollo Conference opponent Taylorville for the third time this season, 25-12, 25-20.

Ellie Barker had 12 kills to lead the Tornadoes. Ava Yeakel had nine kills.

Lily Bosworth finished with six kills. Bosworth also had three blocks.

The batsmen benefited from the set strengths of Erin Dallas (14 assists) and Ellie Dallas (10 assists).

The team’s defensive leaders were Addi Eisenmann and Yeakel (each with seven digs). Erin Dallas had three digs.

The Maxpreps state rankings include a grouping for schools regardless of grade. U-High ranks eighth among all high schools in Illinois and MS ranks 18th^Th.

Other highly ranked schools in Class 3A include St. Laurence (11th^Th) and Wheaton St. Francis (15^Th).

Thursday’s winner will face the Salem Section winner on Monday (Nov. 11) in an Elite Eight supersectional contest in Effingham.

MS is seeking its fourth-ever sectional volleyball championship, but its first since 1984.