The Newark girls volleyball played a solid match against Stockton in Tuesday’s Class 1A Eastland Sectional semifinal in Lanark.

In the end, the Blackhawks played just a little bit better, especially in closing moments of each set, and advanced with a 25-21, 25-18 victory over the Norsemen.

Stockton (33-5), which also ended Newark’s season a year ago in the sectional semifinals, advances to play Galena at 6 p.m. on Thursday for the title.

The Norsemen end a tremendous season at 32-5.

“At this time of the season if you are not on your game every single point teams are going to take advantage of it,” Newark coach P.J. McKinney said. “Good teams find ways to score points, and you can’t give them more than they earn. Credit Stockton, they did that tonight. They just don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

With the see-saw opening set tied at 8-8, Newark freshman Zoey Carlson pounded down a side out kill before a junior Taylor Jeffers three-point service run, including another Zoey Carlson winner, gave the Norsemen a 12-8 lead.

“The first 20 points of the first set we were up four and started to settle in.” McKinney said. “Then Stockton started to set the middle and got themselves going. It was a matter of us making plays with them because they were playing very well defensively.”

Stockton responded by scoring eight of the next 11 points, fueled by four kills from Sadie Johnson.

Newark led 17-16, but the Blackhawks used two kills by Ireland Mensendike, one kill each from Kaydra Wright and Payton Goswick, plus a block by Emma Eisfeller to hold a 21-17 lead. From there the teams traded points until a kill by Johnson and a Newark hitting miscue ended the set.

“I felt like we were playing defense a lot tonight,” McKinney said. “Our serve receive was just off enough that we struggled at times to get into our offense.”

Four kills by sophomore Rylie Carlson, two by senior Heather Buhle and an ace by junior Ela Bromeland helped Newark lead 8-7 in the second set. The Blackhawks bounced back to score seven of the next nine points to lead 14-10. Newark chipped away, tying the set at 16-16 on a winning swing by Rylie Carlson.

From there, Stockton took nine of the final 11 points, with Johnson recording her match-best 12th kill on match point.

“I’m so proud of these girls, they fought to the end and left it out on the floor,” McKinney said. “It has been a great group to work with; they really push to make each other better every practice. It’s a group that takes things a little off the cuff, but when it’s time to play they are ready. They were ready tonight, but we just came up short.”

After Johnson’s double-digit kill total, Stock had six kills from Taylor Haas, five from Mensendike, and four from Wright.

Newark was led by nine kills and 13 digs from Rylie Carlson, six each from Buhle (10 digs) and Zoey Carlson, and two each from Bromeland and Myah Wolf. Taylor Jeffers (17 assists, five digs, eight service points), Bromeland and Morgan Hergenhahn (10 digs) each posted an ace.

“I feel like blocking was a struggle for us tonight,” Buhle said. (Stockton) did a good job of mixing things up, and at times when we were there for a block their hitters hit the ball smartly.

“We had stretches were I thought we were playing well overall, but then we’d hit a few points where one part of our game lacked, and they took advantage of that. We just, me included, just weren’t as consistent as we needed to be. I felt like we all played as hard as we could, it just wasn’t our night.”

Buhle said despite the loss, she was proud of the way the team played all season.

“I’m so grateful for the season we had,” she said. “I got to play a senior season with some of my best friends. This team is close and there is a solid bond with us. While tonight is disappointing for all of us, we have so many great memories we be able to look back on years from now.”