1st Alliance 18 Gold, Club Fusion 18-1 roll; Sky High stuns No. 4 Legacy at Windy City

Club Fusion 18-1 National’s Elissa Furlan splits a pair of TPV 18-Paragon defenders as the defending 18 Liberty champions went 3-0 Saturday at the Schaumburg Convention Center. (Photos by Dave Ruggles)

By Phil Brozynski
Illprepvb.com Editor

Two Illinois teams came away with bids from last year’s Windy City Girls’ 18s National Qualifier at the Schaumburg Convention Center – 1st Alliance 18 Gold in the Open division and Club Fusion 18-1 National in the Liberty division.

The names and faces have changed in the past 12 months, but through first-round play Saturday, the results have not.

1st Alliance 18 Gold barely broke a sweat Saturday, opening qualifier play by defeating Vital 18-1 Gold (Eden Prairie, Minnesota), 25-19, 25-21, GO Volley 18 N (Winchester, Virginia), 25-8, 25-19, and Rockwood Thunder 18 Elite (Eureka, Missouri), 25-14, 25-11.

“The 18s division is a little bit different, to be honest,” said 1st Alliance coach Meghan Keck. “I don’t know if anyone knows anything about any team, and so it’s a little bit of just learning who you are.”

Keck was referring to the recent trend that sees many of the nation’s top 18s players leaving early for college. 1st Alliance was not immune, losing Abby VanderWal (Texas), Addy Horner (Wisconsin) and Hannah Kenny (Louisville) from last year’s 17s team.

“Last week was awesome (going 6-0 at the Windy City Power League seeding event),” Keck said. “I felt like we gelled. We’re a very good ball control team, and so there’s a little bit of a different identity. We put in a few wrinkles and put people in positions to try to create some offensive diversity and things like that.

“We’re still working through it,” she added. “We were really good last weekend, not so good at 8:00 a.m. today. We passed a 3.0 and hit .400 last weekend, and we came out today and plummeted. Hopefully, they can just work through it. The goal as 18s is to continue to try to get better.”

1st Alliance 18 Gold features 5-9 libero Aniya Warren (Benet Academy), 6-1 outside hitter Caroline Smith (Lincoln-Way West), 6-3 middle blocker Jenna Kolosta (Lockport), 6-0 middle blocker Gabriele Stasys (Benet Academy), 5-11 outside/opposite Sydney Buchanan (Mother McAuley).

Also, 5-7 libero Ava Young (Hinsdale Central), 5-10 setter Kameron Blizniak (Romeoville), 5-7 libero Ava Ledebuhr (Benet Academy), 6-1 outside hitter Keira O’Donnell (Benet Academy), 5-7 setter Brynn Peloquin (Mother McAuley) and 5-7 outside hitter Tamia Maddox (Lincoln-Way East).

“Hopefully, we’ll get better as the tournament goes on,” Keck said. “I don’t put a lot of pressure on them. They may be putting too much pressure on themselves to start, So, it’s just working through it.”

Club Fusion 18-1 National had to work overtime in its second match Saturday as Henry Graack’s crew seeks to defend its bid defense in the 18 Liberty division, rallying to beat TPV 18-Paragon (Franklin, Tennessee), 22-25, 25-20, 15-8.

“We’re still trying to make adjustments to our style of play compared to what they’re used to doing,” Graack said. “We’re trying to be a little more aggressive out of system and not worry about mistakes … just playing to score points instead of playing to keep the ball in play.

“It was a little tough in the first set (against Tennessee Performance, the club that Fusion defeated in last year’s championship match), but after that, they looked really good,” he added.

A key player in Fusion’s offense in 2025 is 5-10 outside hitter Elissa Furlan (Richmond-Burton), who put up some big numbers for the Rockets this fall.

“Elissa is great with off-speed shots … tipping, rolling,” Graack said. “So this is a huge adjustment for her because she’s used to scoring with those off-speed shots. But I told her that an aggressive style of play will win us more high-level matches even though she’s really good at that stuff.

Furlan’s teammates include 5-8 setter Alex Hopp (Richmond-Burton), 5-11 outside hitter/middle blocker Kiana Shields (Wheaton Academy),5-10 opposite Samantha Vanda (Geneva) and outside hitter Ava Carpenter (Sycamore).

Also, 5-6 libero Meg Kalenowski (St. Charles North), 6-2 middle blocker Fiona Turnbull (Geneva), 5-6 libero Taylor Martin (Harvest Christian).  5-9 junior setter/rightside hitter Leah Carlson (Dixon) and middle blocker Reese Gilla (Rosary).

“I don’t think there’s any pressure this early in the season, as long as we’re getting better constantly and were doing the right things,” Graack said. “That will come at some point. It’s that aggressive mentality I want them to have. Hopefully, they’ll get that message.”

Elsewhere in the 18 Open division, 11th-seeded Sky High Adidas 18 Elite pulled off the upset of the tournament, fighting off 3 match points in the third set to defeat No. 4 seed Legacy 18-1 Adidas (Sterling Heights, Michigan), 25-15, 14-25, 22-20, in both teams’ Saturday finale.

Sky High finished 2-1 on the day, defeating Legacy and Tstreet IE 18-Chris (Irvine, California), 18-25, 25-19, 15-10 after dropping its tournament opener to Cape Coast 18 ATLAS (West Melbourne, Florida), 25-9, 25-27, 15-12.

Sky High coach Steve Bonnem’s crew remained in bid contention despite playing without two starters – 6-0 middle blocker Siena Smiejek (Crystal Lake Central), who was nursing an ankle injury, and flu-riddled 5-10 setter Amelia Kurtz (DePaul College Prep).

“It hurt not having a healthy team,” Bonnem said. “I hoped they’d come back and start playing their game. That (first game versus Coast) was just not good volleyball for us. They were making volleyball hard. That’s not how we play.  

“The girls had a little nerves to start the day, but they started to fight in that second set against Coast,” he added. “I knew once the girls stopped overthinking everything and just play, we’d be fine.”

Sky High Adidas 18 Elite also features 6-2 outside hitter Whitney Mall (Barrington), 6-0 outside/opposite Ava Wysocki (Stevenson), 5-8 libero Marikate Ritterbusch (Benet Academy), 5-7 defensive specialist Ella Jenkins (McHenry).

Also, 5-11 setter Ellie Williams (Benet Academy), 6-0 middle blocker Peyton Young (Hoffman Estates), 6-4 middle blocker Adeline Sirbu (Buffalo Grove) and 5-10 outside hitter Sophia McKenzie (Marist).

Meanwhile, Adversity G18 Adidas went 1-2 on the day, losing to MiElite 18 Mizuno (Pontiac, Michigan), 25-22, 25-12, and Metro 18 Travel (Washington, D.C.), 25-19, 26-24, before defeating PineappleHP 18-1 (Angola, Indiana), 25-21, 25-8.

“This is big-girl volleyball,” said Adversity coach Nathan Erdal. “At times, we just didn’t compete mentally. We can compete with anyone across the way, but we’ve got to stay mentally strong when the team on the other side is pushing back.  

“The mental part of it is the biggest piece,” he added. “That’s what separates teams … that mentality, that competitiveness. But we’ll keep learning and keep growing. We’ll get there.”

Adversity is 5-11 setter/rightside Victoria Belmonte (Fremd), 5-7 libero Lauren Cortina (New Trier), 6-2 outside hitter Grace Kreutz (Loyola Academy), 5-10 outside/rightside hitter Katherine McGregor (New Trier), 5-8 setter Sophia Allison (Glenbrook South) and 6-0 junior middle hitter Cameron Damm (Buffalo Grove).

Also, 6-0 junior outside hitter Bridget Ferriter (Lockport), 5-6 junior libero Abby Lee (Benet Academy), 6-1 middle hitter/rightside Emma McGough (Glenbrook North), 5-11 junior middle hitter Amanda Mikuzis (Glenbrook South) and 6-1 outside/rightside hitter Ava Stratton (Marist).

After a suffocating 25-9, 25-7 loss toFC Elite 18 Elite (Appleton, Wisconsin) in its opener, XP 18-1 Elite pushed back against its next two foes, but still lost to Circle City 18 Purple (Indianapolis, Indiana), 25-18, 25-18, and Paramount VBC 18 Walter (Manassas, Virginia), 25-20, 28-26.

“There’s so much that we can keep building on, and playing these teams is only going to make us better in the endgame,” said XP 18-1 Elite coach Summer See. “That’s the mindset. This is only going to make us better … that experience. At the end of the day, they’ll be a better team for it.

“Maybe we won’t have as many wins compared to losses, but that’s fine,” she added. “This isn’t the end for us. We’re just getting started. It’s the bumps in the road that you learn from.”

XP features 5-1 libero Stella Drozd (Lincoln-Way East), 5-10 middle hitter Kyndal James (Lincoln-Way East), 5-8 setter Zia Miller (Marian Catholic), 6-1 middle hitter Sophia Morris (Rich Township) and 5-9 outside hitter Brynn Nikonchuk (Manteno).

Also, Emily Pachciarz, 6-2 junior outside hitter Kymora Scott (Homewood-Flossmoor), 5-9 outside hitter Anna Sheppard (Morgan Park Academy), 5-10 outside hitter Frances Smith (Homewood-Flossmoor), 5-9 opposite/setter Kiera Wehlus (Sandburg).

One final local entry in the 18 Open division, MOD Elite G18 Blue, went 1-2 on the day, losing toOT 18 T Tony (Orlando, Florida), 25-20, 25-8, and NPJ 18 Forefront (Salem, Oregon), 25017, 25-17, before finishing the day with a 25-20, 25-16 win over Unified 18-1 (Rochester Hills, Michigan). 

Mod features 5-11 middle blocker Ellen Gundlach (Loyola Academy), 5-6 libero/defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall (New Trier), 6-2 middle hitter Mary Hamann (Rolling Meadows), 6-1 outside hitter Emma McHatten (New Trier) and 6-1 middle hitter Ana Petrides (Maine South).

Also, 6-0 opposite/rightside hitter Sofia Rossi (Maine South), 5-6 libero/defensive specialist Ava Swanson (Loyola Academy), 6-1 setter Julia York (Loyola Academy), 6-0 middle/opposite Addison Leadbetter (Loyola Academy) and 5-11 outside hitter Lily Long (New Trier).

In the 18 USA division, No. 2 seed 1st Alliance 18 Silver defeated Rage Westside 18-Michelle (Belmont, California), 25-23, 25-16, and HP 18-1 (Waterford, Michigan), 25-9, 25-20, but lost to AVC CLE 18 White (Cleveland, Ohio), 25-19, 25-23.

1st Alliance 18 Silver features 5-8 outside hitter LaDonna Trantham (Homewood-Flossmoor), 6-3 middle blocker Olivia Zamis (Wheaton North), 5-10 setter Sarah Butler (Naperville Central), 5-10 outside/opposite Kayla Birmingham (St. Laurence), 6-1 middle blocker Sofia Owens (Riverside-Brookfield) and 6-1 middle blocker Layla Christian (DePaul College Prep).

Also, 6-1 outside/opposite Phoebe Shorney (Oak Park-River Forest), 5-4 defensive specialist Natalie Lawton (IC Catholic Prep), 5-10 outside/opposite Bella Fleurima (Naperville North), 5-8 setter Jenna Glaudel (St. Francis) and 5-5 libero Teagan Rokos (Batavia).

Michio Chicago 18 Blue Smoke went 2-1 Saturday, defeating Legacy 18-2 Adidas (Sterling Heights, Michigan), 25-20, 25-20, and Dunes 18 Black (LaPorte, Indiana), 25-8, 25-9, and falling to No. 1 seed MKE Sting 18 Black (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), 25-21, 25-22.

Michio Chicago 18 Blue Smoke is6-1 outside hitter Chase Grevengoed (Chicago Christian), 5-10 outside hitter Abby Williams (Mother McAuley), 6-1 rightside hitter MaryClare Deacy (Mother McAuley), 5-6 defensive specialist Abby Murzyn (Mother McAuley), 5-6 setter Maddie Berry (Marist), 6-0 setter Cara McLean (Marist), 5-10 middle blocker Nora Clancy (St. Ignatius College Prep).

Also, 6-2 middle hitter Lexi Jensen (Shepard), 5-9 defensive specialist Sophie Nowacki (Bishop Noll, Hammond, Indiana), 5-8 outside hitter/defensive specialist Alexa Miedema (Illiana Christian). 6-0 middle blocker Brooke Conlan (Marist),6-0 middle blocker Zuri Norman (Lindblom), 6-3 middle hitter Emmersen Huen (Illiana Christian) and 5-11 opposite/rightside hitter Lauren Fifer (Whitney Young).

Meanwhile, Chi City 18-Hallman went 0-3 Saturday, losing to Iowa Rockets 18R (Iowa City, Iowa), 25-16, 25-13, Circle City 18 Black (Plainfield, Indiana), 25-13, 25-21, and dropping a heartbreaker to MiElite 18 Elite (Pontiac, Michigan), 25-23, 28-26.

Chi City features 5-5 libero/defensive specialist Ashley Brim (Fremd), 5-10 outside hitter Elena DeValk (Lake Park), 5-9 outside hitter Grace Johnson (Glenbard East), 6-0 outside/opposite Nia McGhee (Kenwood), defensive specialist Imma Papucci (Conant) and 6-1 middle blocker Martyna Sowiak (Bartlett).

Also, 6-2 middle blocker Amor Stapleton (Kenwood), 5-4 setter Gabriella Tomaino (Fremd), 5-10 outside/opposite Jenna Wasco (Timothy Christian) and 5-9 outside hitter Charlee Young (Yorkville).

Finally, a few points here or there in its two matches Saturday could have made a world of difference for Club 1 18 Skronkstrong in the 18 Liberty division. Club 1 lost to WPVC 18 Armour Black (Orlando, Florida), 28-26, 25-13, and Flight 18 Black (Jackson, Michigan), 26-24, 25-18.

Club 1 is 5-8 setter Kaelynn Adkins (Plainfield North), 5-9 outside hitter Brooke Simon-Chenelle (Joliet Catholic), 5-10 outside/middle hitter Riley Cunningham (Plainfield North) and 5-11 setter/rightside hitter Olivia Emerson (Joliet Catholic).

Also, middle hitter Ava Dupuis, 5-5 outside hitter April Salgado (Plano), opposite Brooke Mueller,libero Gabriella Bachner (Plainfield South) and 5-5 libero Kira Cailteaux (Minooka).

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