Despite 17 kills by Bri Struck and 11 digs by Kiley Knoll, Heritage suffered a 25-11, 15-25, 25-16 volleyball loss to Decatur Lutheran on Thursday (Oct. 14) in the Hawks’ final home match.

Struck also had seven digs and Knoll contributed three service aces. Lilli Montgomery connected for eight digs.

“Tonight was a very up and down match,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “There were times we controlled the ball really well – in the second set especially.

“When LSA really got going was when our ball control struggled. This was a good learning opportunity, as we hope to see them across from us in our regional.”

Heritage (19-8-1) returns to action on Monday (Oct. 18) at Champaign Judah Christian.

Heritage and Decatur Lutheran are both assigned to the Martinsville Class 1A Regional, where they are the top two seeds.

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A 12-match winning streak came to an end for the Heritage Hawks in the championship match of the Lincoln Prairie Conference volleyball tournament on Thursday (Oct. 7) at Villa Grove.

For the second time this season, Heritage suffered a three-set loss to Toledo Cumberland. The title match result was 21-25, 25-22, 25-15.

After winning the opening set, the Hawks carved a 17-14 second-game lead, but couldn’t finish it off.

“Tonight was very up and down,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “We executed our game plan to take a 25-21, 17-14 lead.

“I give a lot of credit to Cumberland. They are very disciplined and well-coached. They made good adjustments in the latter part of the second and third (sets). I just couldn’t get my girls to make adjustments like them and that was the biggest difference in the match.”

Torie Rothermel had nine kills and five digs for the Hawks. Bryn Wyant finished with five kills.

Heritage (18-7-1) returns to action on Tuesday (Oct. 12) at Blue Ridge.

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The Heritage High School volleyball winning streak reached eight matches in a row after back-to-back wins to start the week.

On Monday (Sept. 27), the Hawks won at home, 25-17, 27-25 over Tuscola.

To secure the two-set sweep, Heritage needed to recover from a 24-17 second-set deficit.

“We pulled off a 10-1 run to win,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “I feel like every year I have been at Heritage, we have at least one match with a run like this.

“I was proud of our never-say-die mentality and it paid off big-time.”

Bri Struck pounded 13 kills to go with nine digs. Bryn Wyant had three kills and three digs, plus one service ace.

Mary Roland distributed 27 assists.

On Tuesday (Sept. 28) at Villa Grove, Heritage collected a 25-15, 25-15 victory.

Struck totaled 15 kills and five aces while Roland collected 23 assists.

Torie Rothermel added four kills, two digs and two service aces.

Heritage (14-6-1) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 30) at home against Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond.

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Kiley Knoll registered a double-double on Thursday (Sept. 23), but two teammates broke school records as the Heritage volleyball team topped Okaw Valley in Broadlands.

The new single-match record-holders are Mary Roland, with 44 assists, and Bri Struck, with 22 kills. Struck matched the 2012 record for kills held by Mariah Coleman.

Roland and Struck also each contributed seven digs.

Knoll put up 12 kills and 10 digs in a 25-18, 20-25, 25-22 triumph.

“We definitely did not play our best, but I told the girls that this win proves, even when we aren’t locked in completely, we can find ways to win the match,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “Okaw Valley has a strong team, so I’m pleased to have come out on top.

“I say we didn’t play our best, but then find out we broke two school records. So, the sky really is the limit for this group.”

On Saturday (Sept. 25), the Hawks defeated three opponents en route to the team championship at the Arcola Invitational.

Heritage started off with a 25-12, 25-9 win over the host Purple Riders and followed up with a 25-20, 25-16 triumph over Sullivan.

In the championship match, the Hawks topped Marshall 25-21, 24-26, 15-11.

For the day, Struck pounded 56 kills. Torie Rothermel had 15 kills and Bryn Wyant ended with 10 kills.

Roland delivered 89 assists for the day and Paul totaled 27 blocks.

Defensively, Destanee Morgan contributed 32 digs, Lilli Montgomery had 25 digs, Struck had 19 digs and Lily Ploense had 15 digs.

Gracie Tate collected four service aces.

Heritage (12-6-1) returns to action on Monday (Sept. 27) at home against Tuscola.

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The Heritage Hawks had Toledo Cumberland on the ropes on Thursday (Sept. 16), but couldn’t secure the volleyball win, suffering a 23-25, 25-21 25-21 setback at home.

Bri Struck collected a double-double for Heritage with 14 kills and 17 digs. She also had four blocks and two assists.

Mary Roland dished out 27 assists to go with five digs.

Kiley Knoll contributed seven kills, 11 digs, five service aces and three blocks. Adena Paul added five kills, two blocks and one ace.

“Tonight was a good learning experience,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “We had a lot of time to prep for Cumberland and I thought from the first point, up until we led 20-15 in the third set, we had executed really well.

“What doomed us tonight was our fear of losing overtook our desire to win the match. Hats off to Cumberland, they have a great team, but I feel like this was a game we should have won and would have been a great resume builder for the postseason because Cumberland now sits at 12-2.”

Heritage (6-6-1) returns to action on Monday (Sept. 20) at Chrisman.

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The Heritage Hawks rebounded from a one-set deficit on Tuesday (Aug. 31) to post a win at Oakwood, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22.

The offensive assault was sparked by Kiley Knoll (11 kills), Adena Paul (nine  kills) and Torie Rothermel (six kills).

Mary Nolan handed out 29 assists to go with nine digs. Knoll also totaled nine digs.

Paul contributed six service aces and two blocks.

“We finally got something going,” Heritage coach Ryan Fitzgerald said. “Tonight was the best team effort we have had all season.

“With a couple absent from my starting lineup, Destanee Morgan stepped in to contribute. It would be impossible to pick a player of the match, there were so many contributions from everyone. This is what we really needed.”

On Wednesday (Sept.), Heritage secured a two-set sweep at home over Fisher, 25-20, 25-7.

Roland piled up 18 assists, nine service aces and six digs. Knoll chipped in with six kills, six digs and two aces. Bryn Wyant added four kills and three digs.

Heritage (4-3) returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 4) at the Altamont Invitational.

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Heritage opened the volleyball season on Monday (Aug. 23) with a non-conference sweep at home over Paris.

The Hawks dispatched the visitors 27-25, 25-19.

Senior Bri Struck led Heritage with 11 kills. She also totaled five digs, two blocks and two aces.

Lily Ploense handed out 10 assists to go with three digs, and Lilli Montgomery contributed seven digs.

The win came in the first match for first-year head coach Ryan Fitzgerald.

“We had a little different lineup the first set due to some absences from practice,” Fitzgerald said. “Gracie Tate (freshman) and Destanee Morgan (sophomore) stepped in flawlessly to help us win the first set, while Lily Ploense also took on the setting role in that set and guided us to a stellar hitting percentage.”

On Wednesday (Aug. 25), Heritage lost a three-set slugfest at home against Armstrong-Potomac, 25-21, 16-25, 25-22.

Mary Roland handed out 30 assists and Struck pounded 19 kills. Kiley Knoll collected 12 digs, along with five kills. Struck also had seven digs.

The Hawks (1-1) return to action on Thursday (Aug 26) at Salt Fork. 

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