Blocking her own exit

MONTICELLO, Nov 04, 2009 (Herald and Review - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- MNCOF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Emily Less wasn't ready for her volleyball career at St. Teresa to end Tuesday night.

So with Champaign St. Thomas More a point away from defeat, Less answered the demand of her coach and blocked an attack to the floor. Less' ninth stuff of the game won the third and decisive game 27-25, and St. Teresa dispatched St. Thomas More from the Class 2A Monticello Sectional.

"I turned around, and coach just yelled, 'Get the next block,' " Less said about St. Teresa coach Jay McAtee. "I was like, 'I just have to do this.' I was very determined."

The marathon match featured stretches of dominance for both teams, as St. Teresa won Game 1, 25-21, and St. Thomas More won Game 2, 25-19.

Then came a Game 3 that saw both teams trade leads down the stretch. St. Teresa erased a 14-10 deficit and took a 15-14 lead that was taken right back by the Sabers. But the Bulldogs snatched the lead back at 18-17 and didn't relinquish it until St. Thomas More fought off three straight match points to take a 25-24 lead. Then kills by Less and Alexis Clemons set up Less' match-winning block.

"It's unreal," McAtee said. "It was the exact match I thought it would be. Just two phenomenal teams just banging at each other. It was 100 points and an hour and a half of working for everything."

Neither team got many easy points, as both sides volleyed well, especially in Game 3, when both teams dug spikes out on many points and went back on the offensive. That made it easily the most demanding match of the season for both teams.

"Everybody at the end had a lot of heart," said Less, who finished with seven kills and nine digs. "You could tell we wanted to win more and we were going to do whatever it took to win the game."

Less and fellow senior starters Haley Fitzgerald and Keely Nolan knew they couldn't let their careers end after taking the first game from St. Thomas More. And as the match progressed, they made sure they would be playing Thursday in the sectional championship against Effingham St. Anthony.

"We were not going to lose that after winning Game 1," said Fitzgerald, who finished with four kills and 18 digs. "It helps because the harder the game, the better prepared we are to keep going."

Clemons led St. Teresa with 10 kills.

Effingham St. Anthony def. Bismarck-Henning 26-24, 25-13

After Effingham St. Anthony settled into a raucous environment, the Bulldogs cruised past Bismarck-Henning 26-24, 25-13.

St. Anthony had an uncharacteristically poor serve-and-receive start to the match that allowed Bismarck-Henning to hang around. But a quick start to Game 2, which built an 18-10 lead, quieted any nerves.

"It was just a matter of settling down, and when you get that under control it makes life a little easier," Marianne Larimer said about improved serve and receive.

The Bulldogs were helped down the stretch of Game 1 and throughout the night by Ann Bushur, who finished with a team-high 11 kills.

"We are limited with height, but we make do with what we can and we do well," Larimer said.

St. Anthony faces St. Teresa at 7 p.m. Saturday for the sectional championship.

lbridges@herald-review.com 421-6970

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