DMS VOLLEYBALL: Lady Warriors Returning to State

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ For the third straight time, Du Quoin (Middle School) is bound for the Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) Class L State Volleyball Tournament.

Tuesday night in DMS Gym, the Lady Warriors defeated Herrin (Middle School) 27-25, 25-11 to secure another berth in the elite eight.

As defending state champions, Du Quoin opens state tournament play at 1 o'clock Saturday against Mount Carmel. The state finals are contested at Herrin High School.

"This is our third consecutive regional and conference championship season," DMS coach Isaac Miller said. "The first game was neck and neck all the way. Herrin had game point on us and our girls did a great job of handling that pressure. I'm really happy with our girls attitudes and the composure they kept against a very talented Herrin squad."

In game one, Du Quoin opened a 22-14 edge after Rebekah Maddox's back row kill and appeared to be on its way.

Herrin, however, scored nine consecutive points to pull ahead and threatened to win the first game before a sideout. With the score knotted at 25-25, DMS netted the decisive points on Kate Toler's kill and another Herrin sideout.

"We kind of gave up the lead and got a bit of flustered in that first game," admitted Miller. "We had to calm down and just stick to our game plan. And, the girls did just that."

DMS never trailed in game two, bursting ahead early with a 9-2 start.

Herrin closed to within six points at 15-9 before the Lady Warriors forged back to a double-digit lead.

The score was 22-10 after Toler's service ace and a block from Maddox. Things ended when Maddox threw down a kill and back-to-back blocks.

Chandra Gilliam led Du Quoin in scoring with 11 points. Maddox ended with a dozen kills and four blocks. Jessie Martin (six) was assists leader. Hadley Marek and Abby Myers each had six digs.

"I told the girls we've been in these type of pressure situations before and it just comes down to making plays. And we did."

Now 28-5-1, the Lady Warriors enter state tournament action riding an 11-match winning streak.

Saturday's state begins with Marion vs. Triad (10 a.m.).

Other quarterfinal matches include Waterloo vs. Murphysboro or Carbondale and Carlyle against the Eldorado/Hamilton County winner.

Semifinal round action starts at 2 o'clock with the third place and title matches scheduled immediately afterwards.

DMS Statistics

Cassidy Rice: 9-9 serves, 5 points, 5 kills, 1 assist, 1 dig

Kate Toler: 10-10 serves, 6 points, 3 aces, 2 kills

Chandra Gilliam: 13-14 serves, 11 points, 2 aces

Rebekah Maddox: 4-4 serves, 2 points, 1 ace, 12 kills, 4 blocks, 3 digs

Carlie Hill: 5-6 serves, 3 points

Annie Bastien: 7-7 serves, 5 points, 1 ace

Hadley Marek: 1 kill, 6 digs

Jessie Martin: 6 assists, 2 blocks

Abby Myers: 1 kill, 6 digs

Molly Clark: 3 digs

Bailie Caldwell: 1 dig