Richmond-Burton Volleyball Reaches State Playoffs with Record 38 Wins
The Rockets defeated Westmont 25-13, 25-12 to advance to the Illinois State tournament for the first time since 2012.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
Richmond-Burton volleyball coach Eric Schulze guided his team to a 25-13, 25-12 victory over Westmont on Monday, securing a berth in the state tournament. The win marks the second time in school history that the Rockets have reached this stage, following their 2012 appearance in the 3A division. The victory also gives the team a school-record 38 wins for the season.
The Rockets entered the Class 2A Mendota Supersectional as the top seed with a 37-2 record. They closed the season against Westmont, a 30-5 team that claimed its first sectional title since 2009. Richmond-Burton did not drop a set during the postseason run. The team has lost only two matches this year, both to Class 4A opponents Huntley and Burlington Central in tournament finals.
Senior Reagan Wisniewski served the final three points of the match after being inserted by Coach Schulze. Wisniewski tore her ACL in April and spent the season on the bench. She recorded two aces in the first set. Senior Josie Franckowiak recorded the match-clinching block. Wisniewski said her coach looked at the score, looked at her, and told her she was going in.
The Rockets will face Tri-Valley in a state semifinal on Friday at 1:30 p.m. at Illinois State’s CEFCU Arena in Normal. Tri-Valley holds a 30-3 record and defeated No. 2 seed Manteno 25-15, 25-19 on Monday. Richmond-Burton is the No. 1 seed, while Tri-Valley is the No. 1 seed from their respective brackets.
Coach Schulze, in his first year at the school, credited the team’s daily work ethic for their success. He noted that the team has played very well, making their run appear easy. Senior outside hitter Dani Hopp recorded 14 kills in the final match, bringing her season total to 488. She committed to the NCAA Division-I Coastal Carolina program.
Westmont coach Jason Gentile praised his team for finishing with 30 victories, tying the school record. The Sentinels earned back-to-back regional titles. Senior outside hitter Kotryna Vanagas led Westmont with seven kills and broke the school single-season kills record with more than 380. Senior right-side hitter Layla Bunch added six kills and surpassed 250 for the season.
Freshman Blakely Sterbenz served three aces in the opening set and is among the team leaders with 47 total aces. The Rockets recorded 10 aces as a team. Senior Malorie Komar recorded six digs and two aces. Junior Addy Woods recorded five digs and one ace. Junior outside hitter Mia Furlan had six kills and Franckowiak had 21 assists.
Westmont will graduate 10 seniors, including Vanagas and Bunch. Vanagas said the team improved from a 7-25 record in her freshman year. She expressed pride in the team's growth and high standards. Richmond-Burton’s team includes returning players Wisniewski, Hopp, and libero Lanee Cooley, who have been on varsity for four seasons.
