After a kill by junior Rachel Hickman, middle right, Free State players celebrate match point in the second set against Olathe East on Thursday at FSHS.

For a couple of weeks, Free State High’s volleyball players had Thursday’s match against Olathe Northwest circled in their minds.

It was the Firebirds’ final home match in the regular season, which served as their Senior Night. Plus, it was a showdown between the final two unbeaten teams in Sunflower League play.

With the student section full and emotions running high, Free State’s players fed off all of the energy in a straight-set victory over the Class 6A defending state champions, 25-18, 25-22, at FSHS.

Once Free State junior Rachel Hickman landed a kill on match point, the Firebirds hugged and jumped around to celebrate. Students rushed the court afterward. Then the Firebirds watched their junior-varsity teammates earn their own win over Olathe Northwest, which sparked another court-storming huddle of joy.

“It was a magical moment for the program,” Free State coach Keely Hammontree said after the team’s first win over Olathe Northwest since 2012. “It was pretty special.”

Free State volleyball players gather in a huddle after scoring a point in the second set against Olathe East on Thursday at FSHS.

In both sets against the Ravens (11-3, ranked No. 2 in Class 6A), the Firebirds found some momentum and pulled away. During the first set, Free State had three straight kills from Hickman, setter Mya Gleason on a dump shot and sophomore Haylee Kern. Sophomore Kaitlyn Hamilton added a team-high five kills, including the set-winning point. ?

With a consistent offense that avoided errors, strong serving that produced five aces and a solid defense, the Firebirds (15-5, ranked No. 5) were at their best, improving to 9-0 against league opponents. Senior Cameryn Thomas produced a key kill and two service aces during a 5-1 run at the end of the second set.

“It felt like a state championship,” said Gleason, who had 19 assists vs. ONW and 34 on the night. “That’s what we imagine it to be like.”

Prior to their match against the Ravens, Free State honored its five seniors — Thomas, Erin Cushing, Murphy O’Malley, Grace Raney and Haley Wolcott.

“It was really emotional,” said Cushing, the team’s libero. “I’ve never played in a game so crazy like that. I went from crying to cheering and laughing to having fun. It was pretty cool.”

Free State senior Grace Raney shares a hug with senior Erin Cushing (25) during the volleyball team's Senior Night ceremony on Thursday at FSHS.

The Firebirds faced Olathe Northwest in scrimmages during the summer and they were hoping for a fun, yet intense, environment. A few of them compared it to the state tournament.

Trying to stop some of the Ravens’ strongest hitters, Free State picked up key blocks from Hickman, Hern, Hamilton and sophomore Haley Hippe. O’Malley, a defensive specialist, and Thomas helped Cushing with the team’s defense in the back row.

“We were just being disciplined and we got to our spots,” Cushing said. “We picked everything up. We didn’t let anything hit the ground. … The crowd definitely helped out a lot.”

Before their match against ONW, the Firebirds earned a 25-20, 25-20 victory over Olathe East. Hickman had a team-high nine kills on assists from Gleason and Wolcott. Raney added three blocks.

For the Firebirds, who are aiming for the first league title since 2012, they were thrilled to have the chance to play a big match in front of their home crowd.

“We’re trying to foster that love of volleyball at Free State because this game is fun and we’ve got really talented athletes,” Hammontree said. “Getting to people to our games and seeing them, ‘Hey, we’re going to bring an A-game if you want to come watch.’ That’s kind of what we’re trying to foster here.”