NORMAL - It's been 18 years, 536 victories and four runner-up finishes since Mount Pulaski - one of the most storied volleyball programs in state history - took home a state title.

The Hilltoppers have to wait no more. Sophomore Morgan Litterly used the last of her team-high nine kills to finish off a 25-22, 25-22 victory over Rockford Keith School in the Class 1A championship, setting off a celebration that was a long time coming.

"It'll sink it maybe tomorrow," Mount Pulaski coach Donna Dulle said. "It's another tournament, another game, but it's like I'm in a dream, actually."

The Toppers (27-14) put themselves in a dreamlike state by piecing together two solid games where they passed the ball superbly and worked around the hard hitting of Keith School standout Jordan Haverly.

She finished with 19 of the Cougars' 25 kills and had two blocks to boot. Mount Pulaski countered with an attack that came from all angles.

Litterly led the way, but she was hardly a one-person show. Christina Stoll finished with seven kills, and Kassi Schmitt had six kills and a block. Four different Toppers were credited with assists, led by nine from Jeri Kaye Turner.

"We passed incredible, and that made us so much better," Schmitt said. "Because of that, we could hit and set."

Mount Pulaski trailed by one early in the first game before a 7-0 run gave the Toppers control. It took them a bit longer to control the second game, and Keith School (37-5) actually cut the lead to 23-22.

But the Cougars committed the last of their six service errors at that point. Nerves were tingling on the Mount Pulaski bench before Litterly rose up and sealed the victory.

"It felt great," Litterly said. "Pulaski and volleyball goes together. It's what we do. All year, it's all we ever talked about."

Afterward, the Toppers got to hoist their trophy in front of an adoring fan base. That same trophy took center stage in the postgame news conference, with the team peeking around it to answer questions.

"I couldn't stop shaking for a while," Stoll said.

"I'm still shaking up here," Turner responded.

This group added its name to Mount Pulaski volleyball lore in a way only one previous team has.

"I can't stop smiling about it. We really wanted to do this," Schmitt said. "We wanted to be the next team to step up and take the title."

That they did.

"I thought we had enough athletic potential to go a ways, but the kids have to have that mental toughness," Dulle said. "They had that."

Todd Engle can be reached at tengle@herald-review.com or 421-7970.