(Photo by Dave Ruggles) Wednesday, May 12 results Bartlett def. Benet 21-25, 32-30, 25-22Bolingbrook def. Romeoville 26-24, 24-26, 25-21Bolingbrook (3-6 overall, 2-5 in the Southwest Suburban Conference): Elijah Fleming (8 kills, 2 blocks), Andy Stone (6 kills), Carson Harris (5 kills, 2 blocks), Junior Nunez (19 assists, 3 aces), Gabe Escario (3 aces), Byron Montgomery (3 blocks).Bremen def. Tinley Park 25-13, 25-15Tinley Park (2-4 overall). Edwardsville def. Alton Marquette 25-16, 19-25, 25-15Edwardsville (6-0 overall, 4-0 in the South...
Champions Cup series continues under cloud of uncertainty over what comes next
Neuqua Valley's 5-10 outside hitter Bryanna Jones (76) is one of five newcomers on Sports Performance's 16 Elite team. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) CI Elite 17 Elite's Molly Warner (23) of tiny downstate Williamsfield tries to push the ball between a pair of defenders. Naperville North would have been crazy good this fall. The Huskies still might be this winter or spring. But that’s out of Paige Lauterwasser’s control.“It’s so crazy,” said Lauterwasser, a 5-10 sophomore who played on Naperville North’s 24-13 varsity team in 2019 as a fresh...
Hurlburt finds a way to balance both of his loves – family and volleyball
Former Glenbard East standout Alex Hurlburt helped to establish 630 Volleyball in the western suburbs. He now coaches individuals one-on-one so he can spend more time with his growing family. He sees individual coaching as complementing, not competing with, club volleyball, and works with boys and girls. https://youtu.be/Mk-32b5wX1A By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAlex Hurlburt has coached at nearly every level of volleyball during the past six years, from high school to club to college.He has even worked with USA Volleyb...
Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. I
Marist's Mary Clare Brusek (5) is one of several returning starters for the perennial Class 4A power and one of the reasons the RedHawks will be favored to win their third championship in the last four IHSA tournaments. On the cover is Breese Mater Dei's Tori Mohesky. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com begins a look at 570 reasons ...
Merk stands tall for a not-so-tall Loyola crew in a crossover win at Montini
Montini continues to lead the Chicago Catholic League White Division despite the loss to Loyola Tuesday in Lombard. Loyola’s Ryan Merk has been waiting a long time for this opportunity.“I’ve been telling (Loyola head coach Lionel Ebeling) since freshman year that I wanted to hit,” said Merk, who has earned a reputation as one of the top liberos, if not the top libero, in the state. “He finally gave me the chance, and I love it.“It’s fun to hit,” he added. “I’ve been waiting four years for this. We’re doing really well right now, so …”Merk...
SPVB 15 Elite wins 15/16 Open division at Birmingham (Ala.) Blitz
Former St. Francis star shares passion, knowledge as coach with U.S. team
Former St. Francis star and U.S. national team associate coach Erin Virtue (back row, third from right) said the team's goal this year is to do something the women have never done -- win an Olympic gold medal. Erin Virtue coached on the collegiate level for 12 years before accepting a position with the U.S. national team. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comEven though she played for legendary coach St. Francis coach Peg Kopec in high school, Erin Virtue didn’t think about coaching until her senior year at Illinois.The star setter w...
Montini boys' volleyball needs a match. Will travel (or host). Can also play JV
Here are the Illprepvb.com/1st Alliance VBC Boys High School Volleyball Rankings
Three years ago, St. Francis coach Mike Lynch won his 500th career game. Is this the year he wins his first IHSA championship? Game on. Last week, the IHSA board OK’d a state tournament series for boys’ volleyball in anticipation of the relaxing of Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines on June 11. Sectional assignments have already been announced, and seeding is scheduled for Wednesday, May 19. The state finals will take place Friday-Saturday, June 18-19, at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.“We are excited to be able to of...
Saturday, May 1 results
Wheaton Warrenville South's Trey Closset (8), shown here in an earlier match against Naperville Central, had 27 kills in a match against Neuqua Valley on Friday, the third most in program history and tops in the rally-scoring era. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Saturday, May 1 results Glenbard North def. Glenbard East 25-17, 23-25, 25-10Glenbard East (3-2 overall, 1-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference): Connor Soto (18 assists, 1 ace, 5 digs, 1 block), Trevor Real (6 kills, 6 digs), Bartek Kwidzinski (4 kills, 5 digs), Jack Austin (3 kills, 1 ...