Bulldogs reach the section finals for the first time, ready for another battle with U-High

MAHOMET — The Mahomet-Seymour volleyball team has reached a point where it is making history with every match.

With their 25-12, 25-20 victory over Taylorville in Tuesday’s Class 3A MS Sectional semifinal, the 2024 Bulldogs clinched their first sectional championship. Additionally, it increased their record number of wins in a single season to 35.

“They’ve been playing so well the last few weeks that they’ve gotten into a really nice groove,” MS coach Stan Bergman said. “They really trust each other a lot, and it seems like they’re just having a lot of fun.”

The Bulldogs (35-3) have long been working on this opportunity, especially since Bergman took over the program in 2019. They have won at least 30 games in each of the last six seasons – except for the COVID-affected 2020 campaign in which they went 14-2 – but this is their first attempt at two postseason plaques in the same year.

It will be a familiar foe in Thursday’s final with Normal U-High. The Pioneers (35-3) have routed the Bulldogs in each of the last four postseasons. In 2019, U-High defeated MS in the sectional semifinals, and for the past three years it defeated the Bulldogs in the regional championship.

“They set their goal a little higher,” Bergman said of his players. “We have achieved all our goals. Having to play U-High so many years in a row, I was like, ‘Ugh, let’s just get a regional.’ It was a bear. They are a super solid team and fundamentally sound. It will be a lot of fun on Thursday.”

One of the main reasons why MS is on this stage is the breakout performance of junior outside hitter Ava Yeakel. She scored nine kills, including the match-clincher, and seven wins on Tuesday, just a few days after posting a team-high 11 kills in last week’s regional final.

“It was really fun,” Yeakel said. “Last season wasn’t really my season, so being able to come into my junior year and develop myself as a player and learn how to be confident has set me apart from others.”

Yeakel had the tough task of replacing two-time News-Gazette All-Area Player of the Year and current Boise State beach volleyball player Avery Allen. The original plan was for her to flourish in the shadows of Butler senior Ellie Barker, who led the way Tuesday with 12 kills, and Michigan State junior Lily Bosworth, who had six kills and three blocks, but the secret is now out. Yeakel has played so well throughout that Bergman can’t afford to take her off the field.

“She’s a stud,” Bergman said. “She’s an athlete, she’s a competitor and she finds open space. She has a competitive advantage where she hates to lose. She’s going to do everything she can to improve what she does, and the best part is that she really tries to do it for her teammates.

The icing on the cake for Yeakel was that Tuesday was her 17th birthday.

Addi Eisenmann was added to the Bulldogs’ list of standouts on Tuesday with seven points, Erin Dallas with 14 assists and Ellie Dallas with 10 assists and three aces.

The semifinal victory was MS’ third win over Taylorville (30-8) this season. The Bulldogs defeated their Apollo Conference foe 2-1 on September 17 and again 2-0 on October 10. The Tornadoes have provided a solid test all season, but the biggest one yet comes Thursday. MS got the regional monkey off its back last week. Now the Bulldogs are ready to give U-High all they can handle and hopefully continue to make history in the process.

“With every win, our energy keeps rising and getting better and better,” Yeakel said. “Everything from now on is a blessing. We just have to work as hard as we can to get as far as we can.”