MOUNT PULASKI - Glance through the window of Pizza Man Pizza at about 7:50 p.m. Monday.

Fans and volleyball players have filled the place. They are laughing, posing for pictures and sharing a slice or two.

Never mind the pie; it occurs to senior middle hitter Christina Stoll that this kind of interaction is harder to come by elsewhere.

"I love it so much," Stoll said. "Small town. Everybody knows who you are. They know you play volleyball, and everyone gives their support no matter what."

For that reason, the Lady Hilltoppers' bandwagon shouldn't see many new members following Monday's win against Jacksonville Routt in the Class A Supersectionals.

By dispatching of the Lady Rockets 24-26, 25-19, 25-10, the Mount Pulaski team clinched a berth in the state finals for the first time since 2004.

"We haven't been in a couple years," Coach Donna Dulle said with a smile afterward. "It's good to get back."

The Lady 'Toppers (26-14) will play Deer Creek-Mackinaw (33-4) in the state semifinals at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Redbird Arena in Normal. Mount Pulaski High School plans to cancel Friday classes as a result.

"Yeah," Dulle said, "I like that."

Tickets, which cost $8 for an individual session, went on sale at 7:30 a.m. today in the high school office.

They can also be purchased at Redbird Arena or online at www.IHSA.org.

How big will the Mount Pulaski contingency be? Senior libero Elizabeth Fanning would like to think at least as big as the town's population - 1,700.

"Everybody comes to all the games," Fanning said. "Everybody's always there, cheering and supporting us."