Montini's Micaela Haggerty tries to avoid the block of Geneva's Charlotte Otto (17) and Ally Stevenson (1) during the Class 3A sectional championship match Thursday at St. Francis. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor They’ve been playing volleyball at Geneva since 1976. During that time, the Vikings have won three sectional championships. But the big one has eluded them. Thursday, Geneva took another step toward crashing the party at Redbird Arena for the first time, defeating Montini Catholic, 25-23, 25-1...

Downers Grove North (far court) avenged an earlier loss to Benet Academy to advance to the IHSA Class 4A sectional final against Glenbard West on Thursday in Glen Ellyn. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Downers Grove North has already beaten Glenbard West twice this season. Thursday, the Trojans will go for the three-peat. Downers Grove North rallied from a 22-15 deficit in the second set to stun Benet Academy, 25-18, 25-23, in Tuesday’s second semifinal of the IHSA Class 4A sectional at Glenbard West....

One of only a few holdovers from last year's IHSA Class 4A finalist, setter-turned-middle hitter Sophia Youssef of Benet Acadmey refused to let the Redwings' regional championship winning streak end last Thursday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Ask Benet Academy coach Brad Baker about Sophia Youssef and he will tell you she has been the Redwings’ most consistent attacker this season. Then he will tell you she doesn’t even play her natural position. Youssef, a 6-foot-1 senior, is a setter by trade. ...

Benet Academy players huddle one final time at Naperville Central after winning the program's 19th consecutive regional title. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor All streaks must come to an end, eventually. Just not this Thursday. Benet Academy extended its regional championship streak to 19 on Thursday at Naperville Central, bouncing back after squandering an 11-6 lead in the second set to beat the host Redhawks, 25-17, 19-25, 25-20. Benet (27-10 overall, 5-1 Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red) advances to the Class 4A...

Oswego East fell to Oswego, 25-16, 20-25, 25-17, in a reginal semifinal Tuesday at Oswego. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Homewood-Flossmoor had to survive a third-set scare. Bolingbrook barely broke a sweat. The two teams advanced through Tuesday’s Class 4A Bolingbrook Regional semifinals in very different fashion. Homewood-Flossmoor outlasted Romeoville 25-17, 15-25, 25-21, and the host Raiders routed Rich Township, 25-2, 25-13. Homewood-Flossmoor (15-20 overall, 3-5 in the Southwest Suburban ...

Last season, Matt Kravstov (56) helped SPVB B18 Elite finish 13th at the AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor While many girls high school volleyball fans across Illinois were anxiously awaiting the start of the postseason this week, the boys club season quietly got underway with the start of The Chicago Point Series at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park.Among the teams making their season debut last weekend was SPVB B18 Elite, which went 7-3 and finished 13th in the 1...

Mother McAuley defended its homecourt against visiting Lyons Township on Wednesday, finishing the regular season unbeaten at home with a 25-23, 25-8 victory. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Mother McAuley sent its seniors out in style. In their final home match of the season, the Mighty Macs' 11 seniors made more memories with a huge comeback in the opening set. They went on to topple Lyons Township, 25-23, 25-8, Wednesday at Mother McAuley. “I'm proud of how we responded and stayed focused,” said Mo...

Belleville East's 5-5 sophomore libero Kailey Lane was named tournament MVP at Autumnfesr last weekend. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBelleville East’s Kailey Lane remembers …“Last year, we came here (Autumnfest at Glenbard East), and it was not our best tournament,” said the Lancers’ 5-5 sophomore libero. “We struggled in our first game (Friday) but we definitely brought it back up.“Coming in here and winning it? That's incredible,” she said. One year ago at Autumnfest, Belleville East lost to Prairie Ridge in pool play, and...

River Valley Christian won the Northeastern Athletic Conference championship with its victory Monday at Schaumburg Christian. https://youtu.be/3Fx8QOnuKzU River Valley Christian and Schaumburg Christian players and coaches gather at halfcourt for a brief prayer after the match. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Surrendering the first six points of Monday’s match on the road against fellow Northeastern Athletic Conference unbeaten Schaumburg Christian wasn’t exactly in River Valley Christian coach William Benenhaley’s master pla...