Thursday, November 12, 2009 10:01 AM CST
Cumberland gets rematch of Eastland
By MIKE MONAHAN, Staff Writer
mmonahan@jg-tc.com
NORMAL -- A year ago this weekend Lanark Eastland defeated Cumberland 25-22, 25-16 in the IHSA Class 1A volleyball semifinals. Eastland went on to win its first state title, while the Lady Pirates earned their best finish ever with third place in a 21-25, 25-21, 25-17 win over West Prairie to finish 29-4.
Friday at 10:30 a.m. the two teams meet again in the semifinals at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. The winner is to play for the championship at 10:30 a.m. Saturday against the winner of the Mount Pulaski-Payson Seymour match. The losers play for third place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
Although several Class 1A or A teams have played the same team in the state tournament. this is believed to be just the third that the same two teams met in back-to-back years in the first match at the state tournament.
The other two times were in 1981 and the 1982 seasons when Tolono Unity played Immaculate Conception and Riverton played Mendota in the quarterfinals of Class A in the old two-class system. In both cases Mendota and Immaculate Conception won both times. Ironically, Mendota also played the same team in the semifinals in those two seasons, losing to Freeburg in the 1981 semifinals and beating Freeburg in the 1982 semifinals. That is the only other semifinal rematch in back-to-back years in Class 1A or A.
Cumberland enters the match on a 20-match winning streak. The Lady Pirates’ only two losses were to South Central and Edwards County, both teams they beat in the postseason. Friday they get a chance to avenge last year’s semifinal loss.
“I don’t think anybody played up to their full potential,” said Cumberland sophomore Sadie Sparks of last year’s semifinal match. “We had a little stage fright. Getting another chance at them makes us work even harder. We want to play our hardest and up to our full potential.”
The Lady Pirates lost four players from last year’s team, including Brittany Brandt, who led the team in kills and blocks; Kasi Helmink who was second in blocks; Casey Sowers, who led in digs and Kaitlyn Titus, who led in assists. However, four starters are back in seniors Macy Shupe and Brittany Whitaker, sophomore Sadie Sparks and junior Kennedy Gabel.
“We knew we would be a solid team just because we have a lot of talent from a hitting perspective,” said Cumberland coach Monica McNeil. “We ran into teams in the Little Illini Conference who did a heck of a job blocking and digging including Hutsonville-Palestine and Martinsville, depending on what night. I think the point where I realized we were a very good team was the first time we played Edwards County when we lost. We were up 10-2 at one time and it was only the second game back for Macy Shupe (who missed some of the season with an injury). I didn’t know how the season would turn out in the long run, but I knew we had a good chance of running into Edwards County again. I didn’t know if we would make it back to state, but I knew that was their goal and that they were not going to quit.”
The Lady Pirates are led in kills and blocks by Sparks who averages 3.4 kills and 1.3 blocks per game. Gabel is tops in aces with an average of 1.4 per game, while Madison Sparling, a junior, is tops in assists with 5.7. Gabel also leads the team in digs with an average of 3.3 per contest.
“Cumberland looks a little more athletic than last year,” said Eastland coach Kristy Pierce. “The made good improvement and they have a new coach so they are not running the same thing they did last year. They look like they are one of the strongest teams from down there. Anyone that beats Edwards County has to grab your attention.”
As a team Cumberland averages 13.3 kills, 3.5 blocks; 3.8 aces; 12.2 assists and 13.5 digs per contest, while Eastland averages 14.5 kills, 5.6 blocks, 4.2 aces, 14.3 assists and 17.7 digs per game.
A pep session for Cumberland’s communities was held Wednesday night and the team is to practice this morning at Redbird Arena.
“We are working on little things here and there and focusing on blocks and different tweaking of things,” said McNeil.
The Lady Cougars are led by 6-foot-1 junior Courtney Blair, who leads the team in kills and blocks with averages of 4.1 kills and 2.4 blocks per contest. Hope Linker averages a team-high 1.2 aces per game and averages 13.3 assists per contest. Libero Kirby Kniss is tops in digs with an average of 5.2 per contest.
“I know they have a 6-1 middle (Blair) who is a really strong hitter and blocker,” said McNeil. “I remember from last year their setter (Linker) got to everything and their libero (Damaris Lincker, who is one of two that graduated from last year’s team) was solid. I know we are the underdogs and we have nothing to lose. The fact that they (Cumberland) was here last year should help. They won’t have butterflies.”
Pierce feels Eastland is very balanced.
“We have three kids that have over 235 kills (Blair, Megan Bunyer, a senior and Katelyn Hasken, a junior), and that is pretty good balance for us,” said Pierce. “When we evaluated how we could become better keeping in mind the two seniors that we lost that were very productive we realized we had to have someone that could score some points for us and one of those places was at the service line and they have done a nice job of improving in that area.”
Although Eastland won state last year Pierce didn’t feel the team played consistently.
“It sounds silly since we won state, but I didn’t feel like we played very well consistently at state,” said Pierce. “This year one of the keys is to play our match. Get comfortable and confident and getting off to a fast start would also be nice.”
McNeil is assisted by Kylee Booth and Kaylee Dahnke.
“The key to the game is the defense,” said McNeil. “Most people look at us as the underdogs. The girls have a lot of heart and desire and I am hoping that will come through at state. We have nothing to lose. Just go out and work as hard as we can.”
Contact Mike Monahan at mmonahan@jg-tc.com or 238-6854.
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