Richmond-Burton doesn’t go quietly in 3-set loss to IC Catholic in Class 2A sectional semifinals

RICHMOND – Senior outside hitter Elissa Furlan and her Richmond-Burton teammates desperately didn't want to see their magical run end Tuesday.

The top-seeded Rockets, a win from tying the program's single-season record, kept fighting against No. 2 IC Catholic but came up short with a 21-25, 25-20, 27-25 loss in the Class 2A Marian Central Sectional semifinals.

Trailing 24-19 in the third set against IC Catholic, Furlan did everything she could to keep the Rockets' season alive.

The Division I Wright State commit rattled off six of her team's final seven points – the other coming on senior setter Alex Hopp's ace – as the Rockets staved off five match points.

But the Knights ended the match on back-to-back points from senior Emily Carling, as her back-row kill couldn't get controlled by the Rockets' defense.

"I was kind of talking to myself. I told myself, 'Do not play with any regrets,' " Furlan said. "My goal is to be a player [my teammates] can go to – be smart and, hopefully, get the ball over, keep it in play or recycle it. I definitely had to bring myself to another level of calm to focus and make sure that one little slip-up didn't ruin that run we had."

Furlan, a four-year varsity player along with Hopp, finished with a match-leading 21 kills and added seven digs, a block and an ace in her final high school match. Hopp had 34 assists, three digs, two blocks and two aces in her last match.

"Elissa in that moment kind of put the team on her back," R-B coach Mike Kahmolz said. "She started to get a little bit of emotions going. 'No, we're not done. We can do this.' And sure enough they did. They brought it back, and the ball goes a little this way or that way and it's a different game.

"I think they all fought through the emotions well, especially with five sophomores out there. They've never been in this situation before, so I'm proud of that."

Richmond-Burton (36-2) never led in the third set, but the Rockets still believed they could make a run.

"We just kept telling ourselves that we're not done yet," said Hopp, one of only two seniors on the Rockets with Furlan. "Keep pushing, be positive and just do what you can."

IC Catholic played R-B earlier in the season but lost in three sets.

"Playing them before, they wanted it," Knights coach Lauren LaVigne said. "They wanted it so bad, and I knew my girls were going to get it done, no matter what the score was."

Senior middle blocker Delilah Hyland had 10 kills, five digs and three blocks for IC Catholic, Maura Grogan had five blocks and five kills and libero Natalie Lawton finished with 38 digs.

"We knew that they were going to push hard," Lawton said of R-B's comeback. "It was really stressful. We knew we could do it. We knew if we stuck together, we could finish the game."

Rockets sophomore outside hitter Dani Hopp had 16 kills, five digs, two blocks and two aces and sophomore Lanee Cooley added 13 digs and four assists. Sophomores Zoe Freund (two aces) and Reagan Wisniewski and junior Daniella Mazzola had two blocks apiece.

The Rockets won their second straight Kishwaukee River Conference championship with a perfect 14-0 record and won their first regional title since 2015. They lost only five sets all season.

"How can you not love everything that's happened?" Kamholz said. "Their fight and their drive is what I think I'll remember the most, and I hope that we can duplicate it. Not many teams get the opportunity to do what we did. We're blessed and grateful for everything."

Furlan said the younger players helped bring everyone together.

"The first two years were rough, but once this group of girls [the sophomore class] came in, they really brought this team to the next level," Furlan said. "Not just physically, but as a team. This team is the definition of team. We do everything together. These girls just put everything into every practice, every tournament. It's insane what this team accomplished, and I'm so happy my senior year I can go out with this group of girls."

Alex Hopp, who will play at D-III Wisconsin-Oshkosh, said the team always gave its best effort.

"It was an amazing season," she said. "We could not ask for a better season. We're all so close, which made it so much better. We're all so dedicated and we just really push hard. It's sad to be done, but we put it all on the court."