Benet sophomore libero Aniya Warren wasn’t in awe of her surroundings while playing in her first state championship match.
Just about everyone else was in awe of her, though.
Warren put on a spectacular show of defense against Mother McAuley in the Class 4A final at Redbird Arena in Normal on Saturday night.
“It is a big stage, and it’s kind of my first big stage because I hadn’t been to any championship game yet, so it definitely is a great feeling to be here,” Warren said. “I don’t really measure my performances, so I leave that for other people to decide.”
Other people were gushing over Warren, who led all players with 23 digs, many of which drew gasps from fans. She helped the Redwings rally to send the match to a third set before Mother McAuley pulled out a 25-22, 17-25, 25-14 victory.
Emory-bound senior outside hitter Gabija Staniskis, who led Benet (37-5) with 11 kills, has been Warren’s teammate for two seasons but still was stunned.
“She’s absolutely incredible,” Staniskis said. “She’s our rock. She’s controlling the back row. She’s insanely good at her job, and she’s able to pick this team up when we need it.”
That’s what Warren did after the Redwings squandered leads of 7-1 and 15-8 in the first set. The Mighty Macs (39-3) led 14-10 in the second set when Warren dug up a blast by Michigan recruit Ellie White, who finished with 20 kills.
Freshman middle Lynney Tarnow eventually turned that into one of her seven kills, triggering a 15-3 run.
“She is able to make plays that I’ve never seen anyone else make,” Staniskis said of Warren. “She’s just incredible. I have no words to describe her. She’s going to go really, really far.”
The Redwings wouldn’t have gotten as far without Warren, who was able to blunt some of White’s attacks, turning sure kills into long rallies.
“We knew she was going to have to play well for us to be in this match,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “We knew she was going to be busy. Ellie White is one heck of player and sends a lot of balls that way.”
But Warren doesn’t mind that. Baker compares her to a ball-hawking football player.
“Sometimes it’s like having a free safety,” Baker said. “You just tell her to go get it, and she’s really good.”
Ultimately, the Redwings weren’t quite good enough to capture their fifth state championship since 2011. But that didn’t take any shine off another great season.
“We have so much to be proud of,” Staniskis said. “The fact that we even got here is such a huge accomplishment. Obviously not the outcome that anyone wanted, but I think we really showed our perseverance in this game, especially being able to come back from the deficit in the second set to force a third set.
“I was extremely proud of how we came back there. We couldn’t make it all the way through, but I think we played great.”
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Warren wasn’t playing merely for herself. She wanted to win for the seniors.
“I was definitely doing it for them because I know it’s their last time being able to do something like this,” Warren said. “I knew how much it meant to us as a team.”
The Redwings will graduate three starters — Staniskis, Xavier-bound middle Annie Eschenbach and outside Kirsten Krammer — but a strong corps of underclassmen will return.
“It’s always hard to lose, but I’m so proud of how we did,” Tarnow said. “I know in the future I have to look back and be thankful for this group of girls and how far we came.”
Warren is confident the Redwings will return to Redbird Arena next year.
“It’s something that I look forward to playing in again next year,” she said. “We’ll be back.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.