MOUNT PULASKI - Elizabeth Fanning had 26 digs in Monday's Class A Supersectional against Jacksonville Routt.

Counting them was a snap compared to the hugs she received afterward.

"Everybody has come up to me," the Mount Pulaski senior libero said, wading through one last swarm of well-wishers. "Everbody's so excited.

"It's just phenomenal."

Students and fans engulfed Fanning and her teammates once they had clinched a happy ending: MP's 24-26, 25-19, 25-10 win against Routt sent the team to its first state tournament since 2004.

The Lady Hilltoppers (26-14) will play Deer Creek-Mackinaw (33-4) in the semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal.

It's all thanks to a mid-match rally.

MP went away from its hitters through Game 1 and much of Game 2, running unsuccessful quick sets instead.

"Our passes weren't all there," said senior middle hitter Christina Stoll, who finished with six kills and a block. "We were just a little skittish."

A timeout helped the team break out of its funk. Behind 7-2 in the second game, the Lady 'Toppers sensed the urgency of a fading season and regrouped.

"We knew we had to fight the rest of the way," Fanning said. "We came together as a team. We were talking. We had the intensity. We were just there."

MP quickly tied the game at nine on one of Kassi Schmidt's team-high 10 kills.

Moments later, the junior let loose with another for a 20-15 lead.

"Our setters just settled down, and that only helped the hitters," Mount Pulaski coach Donna Dulle said. "They were able to get much better swings."

Jeri Kaye Turner had 22 assists, while Ellen Olson added 12.

Trying to stop the surge, Routt (28-10) called a timeout of its own.

There was nothing doing.

"If you give them opportunities and momentum, they're going to take it and run," Lady Rockets coach Patrick Gibson said.

"We didn't step up. I'm not taking anything away from Mount Pulaski, but they didn't get our best effort tonight."

Game 3, then, was all but a formality. Despite falling behind 2-0 at the start, the Lady 'Toppers quickly built a 10-5 lead and didn't look back.

Cue the court-storming fans.

And the elation.

"I don't even believe it right now," said Dulle, who planted a hug on most everyone who came near. "It'll take awhile."

Mount Pulaski will head to Redbird Arena in search of its first state championship since 1989. This year's tournament trip marks the ninth in school history.

Classes will be canceled Friday, giving the school with a 193-student enrollment a better chance for a bigger fan base.

"Our crowd helps us out," Stoll said. "We listen to them. Hear them yelling and stuff."