Chargers Hold Off Highland in 5 Sets to Advance to Region Semifinals

GALESBURG — Highland pushed the Carl Sandburg College volleyball team to the brink, but the Chargers battled back to extend their season with a 22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11 victory over the Cougars in the Region 4 Division II District B quarterfinals on Wednesday at John Lewis Gym.

With the win, the sixth-seeded Chargers (26-14) advance to face No. 3 seed Rock Valley in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Saturday at Madison. The championship match is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, also at Madison.

The Chargers swept 11th-seeded Highland (15-20) in both meetings during the regular season, but the Cougars looked like a different team from the outset Wednesday, taking two of the first three sets.

With Sandburg holding a 19-17 lead in the fourth, freshman Ayla Cannon put down a kill to spark a 4-0 Chargers run that helped push the match into a decisive fifth set. It marked just the second five-setter of the season for Sandburg and the Chargers' first at home since March 25, 2021, against Waubonsee.

Sandburg jumped to a 10-6 lead in the fifth before four straight Cougars points evened the set. Tied again at 11, the Chargers took the final four points of the match. Addison DeSpain pushed a kill into an open corner for a 12-11 lead, and Natalie Burden followed that up with the last of her team-high 17 kills in the match. Cannon added a block to set up match point, and Sandburg clinched the victory on a Highland error.

Burden's 17 kills were her most in a match this season, and she had 14 digs for her eighth double-double of the year. Cannon came through with 16 kills as she matched her season high.

Lillian Isenhour and Addison DeSpain each added seven kills. DeSpain also contributed 16 digs and a team-best three aces.

Setter Grace Vyhnanek had 42 assists and 11 digs. Libero Madeline Mooney led Sandburg with 29 digs and served two aces. Isenhour and Grace Evans each totaled five blocks for the Chargers.

REGION 4 DIVISION II DISTRICT B VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals
Nov. 1
No. 2 Madison def. No. 15 Bryant & Stratton 3-1
No. 7 Milwaukee Tech def. No. 10 Lake County 3-2
No. 6 Sandburg def. No. 11 Highland 3-2
No. 3 Rock Valley def. No. 14 South Suburban 3-0
Semifinals
Nov. 4 at Madison
Madison vs. Milwaukee Tech, 4 p.m.
Sandburg vs. Rock Valley, 6 p.m.
Championship
2:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at Madison 

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