Even though she grew up in a family with two older sisters who played volleyball, St. Laurence’s Kayla Birmingham didn’t get serious about it until she got into high school.

One sister, Sara, played at Mother McAuley. The other, Lauren, played at Richards.

But Kayla, despite no club experience, started on varsity as a freshman for the Vikings. After that, she decided to put in more time and effort in the offseason with First Alliance.

“We’re a big volleyball family, and it has been our sport all of our lives,” Birmingham said. “It really started to click my freshman year, and last year, I started playing club.

“I’ve come a long way since.”

The junior outside hitter brought her team a long way Monday night, leading St. Laurence to a 26-24, 25-9 victory over Kaneland in the Class 3A Evergreen Park Sectional semifinals.

Birmingham had seven kills as the Vikings (25-12) advanced to a 6 p.m. Wednesday championship match against Glenbard South (18-20), a 25-5, 15-13 winner over Kennedy.

Freshman outside hitter Aubrey Martinez led St. Laurence with 12 kills. Sophomore middle McKenna Rake added six.

The first game featured 12 ties and seven lead changes. Birmingham had a clutch kill to force a 23-23 tie and another clutch kill to put the Vikings ahead 25-24.

The second game found Birmingham mostly in the back row piling up digs because of long scoring runs.

St. Laurence coach Ellen Yopchick has enjoyed watching her progress into an all-around player.

“She was contributing for us as a freshman right away in the front row,” Yopchick said of Birmingham. “As a sophomore, she started playing six full rotations for us.

“She has been a primary passer, defender and an offensive weapon as well. She makes the big fancy digs, but she also makes the tiny ones. That’s Kayla.”

The Vikings reached the supersectional last season but dropped a wild 25-17, 30-28 decision to Joliet Catholic. They returned just three seniors, and on Monday, six of the seven starters were underclassmen.

Since late September, St. Laurence has been on a roller coaster, losing four straight and then winning six straight heading into the sectional.

Martinez, meanwhile, has been blossoming as a dominant force in her freshman season. She credited the guidance of Birmingham for some of that.

“She’s amazing and helps me with everything,” Martinez said. “She helps me if I make a mistake. She helps me go through all of the emotions and says ‘you’re OK’ and ‘you got the next one.’

“She has always been right with me.”

One of the things Birmingham appreciated about Monday’s win was the team’s ability to take over the second game, grabbing leads of 6-0, 16-3 and 22-6 after the pressure-filled first game.

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The Vikings owned a 15-5 advantage in kills during the second game after a closer 14-12 edge in the first.

“That type of game, in the past, we have really struggled kicking back in the second set after winning the first,” she said. “You know that team is always going to want to come back.

“This time, we realized this is the sectional semis. You need to be playing your best. We can’t be messing around. That kicked into our heads.”

Yopchick also was pleased that the Vikings, who had 13-2 record on neutral courts this season, were able to kick it into gear and ride the momentum.

“We knew it was going to be a battle from the moment we stepped on the court,” Yopchick said. “Winning that first set always helps. But we’re also starting to work at starting strong.

“I think we did that the second set.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.