Mahomet-Seymour volleyball wins Bulldog Invitational

By Fred Kroner

Tournament most valuable player Avery Allen, from Mahomet-Seymour, sparked the Bulldogs to the championship in their 16-team volleyball tournament on Saturday (Oct. 22).

In doing so, M-S tied its school record for wins in a season, equalling a mark the 2021 team established when it ended 31-6.

The Bulldogs won their first four matches in straight sets before rallying past Pleasant Plains in the championship match, 23-25, 25-15, 15-4.

Joining Allen, a junior, on the 12-player all-tournament team were two M-S teammates, seniors Caylee Folken and Libby Bodine.

To reach the finals, the Bulldogs overpowered Decatur MacArthur (25-4, 25-14), Manteno (25-18, 25-19), Pana (25-15, 25-8) and Washington (25-23, 25-9).

On Thursday (Oct. 22), M-S turned back Urbana at home, 25-10, 25-9.

Folken had 13 assists. Maddie Gaede had six assists and five service aces. Bodine posted eight digs and one kill. Grace Rodebaugh contributed six kills and Chloe Pruitt added two kills.

The Bulldogs’ JV team also swept Urbana, 25-4, 25-4.

M-S (31-3) returns to action in the Rantoul Class 3A regional against the host Eagles at 7 p.m. in a semifinal match on Tuesday (Oct. 25). The Bulldogs, who have won 18 matches in a row, are the No. 2 seed in the regional, behind Normal University High. U-High dealt the Bulldogs a three-set loss in mid-September.

Twenty-seven of the M-S wins this season have been in two-set sweeps.