Twenty-five points weren’t enough. Iron volleyball needed extras in both sets to beat Lincoln-Way West on Oct. 30, 28-26, 26-24, and claim a second consecutive regional championship.

Community controlled most of the first set, building a six-point cushion before the Warriors rallied to 24-22. Senior Sam Lakamp and junior Caroline Engel closed it with a pair of blocks for a 28-26 win.

The Ironmen fell behind by seven in the second set, an unfamiliar spot. Senior Alana Whitfield answered, recording seven kills in the set, to help spark the comeback and seal a 26-24 finish and the title.

Head coach Ms. Christine Konopasek credited her team’s poise in the chaos of long runs and late points. 

“Their resiliency was really good,” Konopasek said. “I don’t remember a time in the game when our backs felt like they were up against the wall. We just continued to push back.”

The Iron’s success started at first contact, with the team’s serve receive steading Community in the contest. Senior Maggie Michaels and Whitfield handled 41 balls and averaged a 2.25 pass rating on the night, Konopasek said. 

On a 0-to-3 scale, the coach said, a three is “basically perfect” and a zero is an ace against, making a 2-plus night a platform from which the Iron could run multiple offensive options. 

Ultimately, the second-set victory came down to plays at the net in high-leverage moments, with Konopasek highlighting timely plays from role player.

Lakamp entered late in each set and, alongside Engel, delivered blocks at 24-24 in the second to swing momentum. 

Come “crunch time,” Konopasek said, they “came up big.”

Injuries and illness have forced shuffling, but Konopasek called this “the healthiest lineup” the Ironmen have had, noting junior Breely Bauer’s missed time and senior Lauren Michaels stepping into a larger role.

With several players battling illness this week, Konopasek planned a light reset before sectionals. The team will get a day off to rest, review film and keep focus on serve and pass. 

Just as important as the drills, Konopasek said, is how the group feels. Balance, she said, matters as much as reps.

For Konopasek, the championship resonates because of the group’s unselfishness. She pointed to Lakamp, a former starter who has embraced a late-match role. 

“That’s unselfishness, and that’s leadership,” Konopasek said.

The team, the coach said, “are great to be around. They are wonderful to coach.”

Community advances to face Minooka (26-11), an unfamiliar opponent this season, in the sectional at Ottawa at 7 p.m.on Nov. 4.

The Iron are 2-1 against Minooka in their last three meetings, winning both of their contests last season after the Indians ended Community’s 2023 campaign.

Composure, first contact and timely blocks— that is the blueprint for a win over the Indians, and what Konopasek wants to carry forward from the match against Lincoln-Way. 

“Hopefully that’s a game that serves us well into next week,” she said. “We know that we can overcome a big gap of points.”

The winner of Community’s match versus Minooka will advance to Thursday’s Sectional title game against either Edwardsville (25-11) or Belleville East (29-8) in O’Fallon.