Seniors go out on top
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| Megan Bunyer (24) goes up high to spike the ball against Mount Pulaski during Saturday’s Class 1A championship match at Redbird Arena in Normal. Bunyer led all players with 17 kills in her final prep match. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@svnmail.com) |
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NORMAL – Karissa Pierce has a pretty good track record when it comes to state championships.
The Eastland senior played two full varsity seasons and has a pair of gold medals to show for it.
Pierce missed one season after knee surgery, then broke her ankle and missed another. The past two years, the snakebit jack-of-all-trades player has managed to stay healthy.
“I love the game, I love these girls, and it’s so awesome to feel this and do this after so many ups and downs,” Pierce said. “Winning this – twice – makes all the rehab and desire to get back worth it.”
“Karissa is our steady Eddie,” said her mom, Eastland coach Kristy Pierce. “I’m so proud of her, especially with all she’s dealt with. She’s got a pretty good average – two seasons, two state titles.”
Fellow seniors Megan Bunyer and Sidney Kane also finish their time as Cougars with two titles. All three 12th-graders shared mixed emotions after raising the big trophy following their final high school match.
“It’s bittersweet, because I know I won’t be back next year for another chance,” Bunyer said. “It’s so great, and I wish these girls the best, but I’d love for it not to be over for me.”
“It’s a good feeling, the greatest,” Kane added. “What a perfect way for it to end.”
Gold-medal advice: Eastland’s run to their second straight state championship had some famous fans this season.
Before their supersectional victory over Newark, the Cougars had a video conference with Misty May-Treanor, who visited coach Pierce’s No Limits volleyball club two summers ago.
“She’s amazing,” Karissa Pierce said. “She’s a real person, easy to talk to and learn from. She’s our hero – I’m sure a lot of girls’ hero here – and it’s so awesome to have someone like that give her support and advice.”
Friday night in Normal, the girls got another treat. U.S. national team coach Hugh McCutcheon, with whom Pierce and her husband Jim frequently chat via e-mail, talked to the Cougars on a conference call about the upcoming state finals.
“We’re pretty lucky to have connections like that,” junior Hope Linker said. “It’s pretty special for us, to have people that famous take time out of their lives to talk to and support us.”
“It’s just a testament to the sport,” coach Pierce added. “The people involved are so friendly, so willing to help, so eager to talk about the sport we all love.”
Back-to-back: Eastland became the 10th team in IHSA volleyball history to repeat as champions, followed quickly by Freeburg and Joliet Catholic.
Mother McAuley has achieved the feat three times, twice in the 1980s and once in the ‘90s, while Wheaton St. Francis did it once in the early 1990s and again from 2002-04. Mother McAuley, St. Francis and Breese Mater Dei (1993-95) have all won three titles in a row.
“It feels wonderful, no matter how many times you win it,” coach Pierce said.
All about attitude: As a way to show they were loose and relaxed and ready to go for the title match Saturday, every single Eastland player hugged IHSA mascot Add A. Tude as they were introduced.
As the mascot stood at center court offering a high-five to each player, one by one the Cougars one-upped him.
“Coach told us that we can give anybody high-fives, so we decided to do something a little different,” junior Katelyn Hasken said. “Once one person did it, we all kind of had to, or else it would look weird. We were just happy to be here and wanted to spread the love.”
Back in black: As with every postseason match this season the Cougars sported their new black uniforms in Saturday’s 1A final.
A new addition to the uniform rotation after Eastland won last year in their traditional blue togs, the Cougars weren’t about to change after getting on their season-ending 26-game win streak.
“We haven’t lost in them yet, so there was no way we were going back to the blue at this point in the postseason,” junior Courtney Blair said. “We’re all pretty superstitious, so we weren’t about to ruin a good thing.
“Plus, they’re really comfortable.”
