By FRED KRONER
The Bulldogs’ seventh-grade volleyball team captured an IESA Class 4A regional championship at home on Wednesday (March 10).
Top-seeded M-S needed three sets to defeat second-seeded Effingham, 25-13, 20-25, 25-22.
The Bulldogs spurted ahead,15-6, in the first set, sparked by a five-point service run by Ava Yeakel.
In the second set, M-S trimmed a 14-8 deficit to 24-20 before falling short.
The Bulldogs needed to rally – and successfully did so – in the tiebreaking set. Effingham built a 12-7 lead before the surging Bulldogs regained control, creating a 17-12 advantage.
The last nine points in the streak came with Yeakel at the service line. She landed aces on six of her serves.
For the match, Lily Bosworth totaled four kills and four blocks. Besides her seven total aces, Yeakel contributed two kills and two blocks.
Ava Hewitt ended with three aces and two blocks. Erin Dallas chipped in with three aces, three blocks and one kill. Anna Streicher added two kills; Brooklyn Dyer collected four aces; Olivia DeWitt notched two aces and Hannah Creel finished with one ace.
M-S (12-2), with a seven-match winning streak, will face Champaign Franklin (10-2) in the sectional championship match on Wednesday (March 17) at Franklin.
