Girls Volleyball Super-Sectional Metea Valley vs. Andrew 11.05.21

It’s super sectional time for girls volleyball at Plainfield North. Metea Valley becomes the first team in their school history to make this appearance in any sport after a sectional win over Plainfield North. The Mustangs look to keep adding to the record book by capturing another plaque. Their opponent is the Andrew Thunderbolts who are coming off their first sectional win since 2003 after taking care of Sandburg and Bolingbrook in the Sandburg sectional. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

Set One

Bolts up 7-6 in the first set and fasten your seatbelts folks. Emma Bludgen sets up her teammate Halle Sullivan for the Mustang kill. We are all tied at 7.

Now we’re tied at 8 in an intense first set. Mustangs return the ball but the Thunderbolts reset. Some back and forth by teams until Andrew finally gets that chance. Colleen Cleary jumps up and kills that ball, giving her team a 9-8 lead.

10 all tie with the Bolts on to serve. Here is Mustang Annebelle Troy smacking the ball back over that deflects off Andrew’s Katie Dehaan. MV takes an 11-10 lead.

Bolts serving again and it’s not a Metea volleyball highlight without six foot three Kira Hutson. There she is with the kill and Metea regains the lead up 15-14.

However Andrew is able to fight back and increase the advantage up to 19-17. The Bolts want to make it a little bigger and they do with this Gabi Walsh kill that deflects off some Mustangs. High fives are all around and why not? It’s a 20-17 Thunderbolt advantage.

Now it’s set point for the Bolts up 24-23. Andrew wants that win but Metea wants to extend the set. Who wants this point in the back and forth affair? That answer goes to the Mustangs as Kira Hutson and Jessica Williams are here for the block party and we are tied at 24.

Now it’s set point for MV who holds a 25-24 lead. Andrew sends it back but once the Stangs get the reset chance it’s Hutson who shows no mercy on the kill. Metea scores the last 4 points to take a 26-24 set one victory just like they did two days earlier against Plainfield North.

Set Two

To the second set all tied up. Thunderbolt Gabi Walsh tries to send it back but she’s invited to Maura Pilafas’s block party. That gives the Mustangs a 3-2 lead.

Now it’s 7-2 Metea and here is Regan Holmer with another highlight reel play. The senior eyes the ball and makes another amazing dig to keep it alive that ends with a Hutson kill. Andrew’s coach Emily Connolly argues that the ball hit the ground but she gets red carded with a misconduct behavior that results in a penalty point for the Mustangs. 9-2 Metea Valley.

Thunderbolts are down but not quite out. After the reset Colleen Cleary gets a much-needed kill for her team that cuts the deficit to 11-5 Mustangs with the advantage.

However Metea smells blood in the water. Andrew tries to keep it alive but that sets up more chances for the Mustangs. That results in a kill by Annabelle Troy to make the lead 17-6 MV.

Match point for Metea up 24-8 and it’s an ace for Morgan Rank that shuts the door on the Thunderbolts. Pack your bags ladies and gentlemen. The Metea Valley Mustangs are heading to state for the first time in team history after a two-set super sectional win. They will take on Barrington next Friday night in the State Semi-finals at Redbird Arena in Normal. They are the first team in any Metea Valley sport to make a State appearance after capturing a super sectional championship.