What's next for the 5 Peoria-area volleyball teams in the IHSA sectional title matches

Welcome to the Sweet 16.

The Illinois High School Association volleyball postseason has set its final 16 teams in each of the four classes following Monday's sectional semifinals. Five Peoria-area teams were left standing: Metamora and Limestone in Class 3A, along with Illinois Valley Central, Fieldcrest and Macomb in Class 2A.

Here is what's facing that quintet of teams as they head into sectional title matches on Wednesday:

More:2022 IHSA volleyball postseason pairings, schedules, scores for the Peoria area

Metamora (32-4) vs. Limestone (32-5-1)

These Mid-Illini Conference foes will meet for the Class 3A LaSalle-Peru Sectional title at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Metamora swept the league meetings en route to an M-I title, defeating the Rockets in straight sets on Sept. 20, then needing three sets — 19-25, 25-13, 25-19 — on Oct. 13. That was the lone conference match where Metamora was pushed to three sets.

The Redbirds made the Elite Eight last season, before seeing a late rally by Joliet Catholic spoil the program's first attempt to make the state finals.

Limestone, on the other hand, is five years removed from its last sectional title appearance. In 2017, the Rockets made a run to the 3A Elite Eight only to lose in a thrilling three-set match.

Shelly Stoner has led Limestone into six sectionals as the Rockets have produced 11 such appearances in the program's history.

In Monday's 25-22, 25-13 win over Rock Island, Metamora used 22 assists and two aces by Victoria Hall. She fed Esma Frieden for seven kills, while Hannah Yoder posted a pair of blocks and Izzay Vanderschraaf had 15 digs. Ella Stivers also served up two aces.

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Limestone's Kennedy Barber posted a double-double — 10 kills and 10 digs — as the Rockets beat Dixon, 25-11, 25-11 in its semifinal victory. Lauren Herz's 12 digs were a team-high, while Ella Karmenzind added five kills and Alayna Rudebeck handed out 21 assists and served up two aces.

Illinois Valley Central (34-3-1) vs. Fieldcrest (29-4)

It's a 6 p.m. Wednesday first serve at the 2A Fairbury Prairie Central Sectional for these teams that have taken different paths to make the sectional final.

Top-seed IVC rides a nine-match win streak, in which the Grey Ghosts have not dropped a set. A sectional title victory would give IVC, which has already set the program record for wins in a season, back-to-back Elite Eight appearances and a third supersectional berth in program history.

This also would be IVC's second Heart of Illinois Conference postseason opponent, beating Eureka in the regional title. The Hornets lost their only meeting with with Fieldcrest in straight sets on Sept. 1.

As for the Knights, Fieldcrest was third-seed at its own regional and has won four in a row. Sectional titles have come in bunches (2013 and 2014) as Fieldcrest went on to place fourth in 2013 and has been at the sectional level four times since that season.

An upset regional title win over No. 2 Downs Tri-Valley avenged a pair of straight-set regular season losses for the Knights.

IVC was in complete control during Monday's 25-13, 25-10 victory over Kankakee Bishop McNamara. Purdue commit Kenna Wollard went for 17 kills and nine digs, while the serving of Olivia Thompson, Sage Geltmaker (nine digs) and Mairen Mannon each produced two aces.

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Ali Bainter busted out 23 assists, while Lizzy Short came up with two blocks.

In Fieldcrest's 25-20, 25-21 win over Peotone in the sectional semi, Allie Wiesenhofer controlled the match with six kills, 15 digs and two aces. Kaitlin White (six kills, 12 assists), Ashlyn May (seven kills), Kaylin Rients (five kills) and Macy Gochanour (10 assists) all stuffed the stat sheet for the Knights.

Macomb (33-3) vs. Quincy Notre Dame (33-3)

This 6 p.m. Wednesday final at the 2A Farmington Sectional will be a rematch of a three-set battle from Oct. 5, as well as last year's postseason meeting.

In that match earlier last month, the Bombers won 25-17, 17-25, 25-23, becoming the first team to beat QND on its home court this season. Now, Macomb, which last lost on Oct. 22, looks to win its first sectional crown since 1976.

Not only is there that aspect of the matchup, but QND claimed a two-set sectional title victory last season to end Macomb's run. The Raiders' program is littered with tradition. QND has three sectional titles and a 2017 runner-up finish since 2015, plus nine state trophies including four state championships (1978, 1980, 1998, 2011).

Macomb was able to make quick work of Sherrard, 25-15, 25-14 in the semifinals on Monday, while QND cruised to a 25-12, 25-17 semifinal victory over Orion. Kaitlyn Robinson paced the Bombers with 22 assists, with Kennedy Adair and Allison Stortzum evenly splitting 12 kills.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA volleyball: Peoria-area sectional semifinal roundup