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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Third-seeded Heritage extended its winning streak to 12 matches on Tuesday (Oct. 5), overpowering second-seeded Blue Ridge 25-14, 25-15 in the semifinals of the Lincoln Prairie Conference volleyball tournament at Villa Grove.

Bri Struck socked 18 kills and added five digs. Kiley Knoll contributed eight digs and two service aces. Torie Rothermel chipped in with four kills and one block.

Heritage (18-6-1) takes on fourth-seeded Toledo Cumberland in the championship match on Thursday (Oct. 7) at 7 p.m. at Villa Grove.

On Monday (Oct 4), in the quarterfinals, Struck tied her school record for kills in a match for the second time in 11 days, swatting 22 in a match at Broadlands.

The Hawks needed three sets to turn back Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond for the third time in 10 days, 25-19, 20-25, 26-24.

Knoll hammered nine kills and Rothermel landed four kills against AL/AH.

Knoll posted eight digs, Struck added seven digs and Rothermel collected six blocks.

Knoll totaled three blocks and Struck contributed two blocks. Knoll also served two aces.

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All four Heritage High School seniors were instrumental in the volleyball team’s ninth straight win on Thursday (Sept. 30) in a Senior Night match against Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond.

The Hawks pulled off a 26-24, 25-22 victory.

Bri Struck – who was chosen as the AVCA/MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Week – put up 12 kills and seven digs. Torie Rothermel collected four kills. Kiley Knoll chipped in with three kills, two service aces and one block while Lilly Ploense totaled four digs.

Struck, Rothermel, Knoll and Ploense are all seniors.

Heritage (15-6-1) returns to action on Monday (Oct. 4) when the Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament starts. The Hawks are the No. 3 seed and will play host to sixth-seeded Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond.

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Among their highlights includes winning the Arcola Invitational where Struck accumulated 56 kills while Rothermel added 15. Roland delivered 89 assists and Ploense had 15 digs. 

The Hawks have gone on to defeat Tuscola and Villa Grove. They will travel to Judah Christian for a tournament this weekend before finishing their season with five games leading up to Regional play. 

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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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With multiple players providing key contributions, the Heritage Hawks registered a two-set volleyball sweep on Monday (Sept. 20) at Chrisman.

Bri Struck pounded 16 kills and teammates Kiley Knoll and Torie Rothermel each landed five kills as the Hawks dispatched Chrisman, 25-11, 25-22.

Knoll and Lilli Montgomery each contributed six digs. Mary Roland doled out 28 assists to go with three digs.

Struck added five digs, Rothermel had two blocks and Knoll served two aces. Montgomery had three assists.

On Tuesday (Sept. 21), the Hawks swept Cerro Gordo/Bement in Bement, 25-23, 25-14 with a double-double by Struck spearheading the attack.

Struck landed 12 kills to go with 10 digs. Adena Paul chipped in with five blocks and two service aces.

Heritage (8-6-1) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 23) at home against Okaw Valley. Seven of the Hawks’ wins have been in two-set sweeps.

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The Heritage Hawks posted their fifth two-set volleyball sweep at home on Thursday (Sept. 9), dispatching Arcola, 25-9, 25-11.

Bri Struck led the attack with seven kills. Torie Rothermel and Bryn Wyant each delivered four kills.

Struck contributed four digs and a block. Rothermel served an ace.

Heritage (6-5-1) returns to action on Thursday (Sept. 16) at home against Toledo Cumberland.

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The Hawks reached the .500 mark for the season by sweeping Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin on the Blue Devils’ court on Tuesday (Sept. 7), 25-10, 25-20.

Seniors Bri Struck and Torie Rothermel were instrumental in the win. Struck pounded 12 kills and had five digs. Rothermel ended with four blocks and three service aces.

Sophomore Lilli Montgomery had seven digs.

Heritage (5-5-1) returns to action at home on Thursday (Sept. 9) against Arcola.

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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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