The Westmont Sentinels' girls volleyball season ended Monday, Nov. 9, with a two-set supersectional loss to Richmond-Burton. The Sentinels finished 30-5, tying the program's win record after capturing back-to-back regional titles and their first sectional championship since 2009.
Richmond-Burton swept Westmont 25-13, 25-12 in the Class 2A Mendota Supersectional, as first reported by the Northwest Herald's Alex Kantecki. The top-seeded Rockets (38-2) recorded 10 aces in the match and did not drop a set all postseason.
Westmont coach Jason Gentile said his team understood the challenge going in. "Offensively, they just have a lot of firepower and put a few balls away we just couldn't dig," Gentile said, according to the Northwest Herald.
Senior captain Kotryna Vanagas led Westmont with seven kills in the supersectional. Gentile said Vanagas broke the school's single-season kills record with well over 380. Right-side hitter Layla Bunch added six kills and finished the year with more than 250. Bunch had stepped in for an injured player earlier in the season, according to the Northwest Herald.
Vanagas pointed to the program's trajectory. Her freshman team went roughly 7-25, she told the Northwest Herald. Four years later, the Sentinels won 30 games and a sectional title.
"I'm just proud of the growth our team has seen every year," Vanagas said.
The Sentinels graduate 10 seniors, including Vanagas and Bunch. Gentile called the senior class outstanding and said the deep playoff run reflected their drive to improve. He told the Northwest Herald the 2026 team had one of the best seasons in school history.
Westmont has not lost a match in the Chicago Prep Conference since joining the league in 2024, according to the Northwest Herald. The Sentinels' 30 victories this season tied the program record set by the 2025 team.
Richmond-Burton advances to the Class 2A state semifinals at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at Illinois State's CEFCU Arena in Normal.
