SPVB 18 Elite saw its 15-match winning streak to open the 2020 season come to an end against Alabama Performance 18 Red in the 18/17 Power division championship match of the Presidents' Day Challenge Monday at the Schaumburg Convention Center. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Something about the “SPVB” lettering on the front of the jersey brings out the best in the opposition.Alabama Performance 18 Red’s best Monday was pretty darn good.Led by its trio of Division I recruits – 6-foot-3 outside hitter Merritt Beason (Florida), 6-3 middle hitter Gabr...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Setters
Breese Mater Dei's Jessie Timmeman set a school record for single-season assists in 2019. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com continues its look at 200 reasons why we’re looking forward to girls high school volleyball resuming in the fall.Of course, there is no guarantee that Illinois schools will re-open by mid-to-late August, and the IHSA will most likely follow the lead of state government before it OKs high school sports in the fall. But if schools do re-open, and the IHSA gives the go-ahead to fall sports, not only will...
Here are the latest 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys 18 Club Rankings
SPVB 18 Lenny came up short in its bid to win a third consecutive 18 USA title at last weekend's Winter Volleyball Championship in Indianapolis. In two weekends, the boys from Aurora will go for their second consecutive USA crown at the 21 Dennis Lafata Boys Bid Classic in St. Louis. Indianapolis was not hospitable to a lot of teams from Illinois last weekend, but then again, like their sisters, the boys from the Land of Lincoln have been behind the eight ball compared to their brethren from outside Illinois where COVID-19 restrictions...
Sterling connection has Fusion 17 Red thinking big during the 2020 club season
The addition of four players from Sterling's Class 3A championship team, including Brooklyn Borum and Lexi Rodriguez, has Fusion 17 Red poised to make a run at a national championship in 2020. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) They’re getting the band back together in Batavia.Freshman Grace Egan, libero Lexi Rodriguez and twin sisters Brooklyn and Breelyn Borum teamed up to lead Sterling to its second consecutive IHSA Class 3A championship at Redbird Arena last fall.Now they’re getting together to try to go one better.The Sterling quartet, Belvider...
No. 7 seed Windsor (Coop) runs out of magic, falls to top-seeded Altamont
Altamont defeated Windsor (Coop) to advance to the Class 1A supersectional at (Bridgeport), Red Hill on Friday. By Zachary RaineySpecial to Illprepvb.comThe run had to end sometime. The Lady Hatchets of Windsor-Stewardson-Strasburg fell to the Lady Indians of Altamont, 25-16, 25-12, in a Class 1A sectional championship match Wednesday at Windsor.The Lady Indians jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the opening set with strong, confident hitting as well as great serving, recording 8 aces as a team on the night. “We didn't play our best, and we ha...
Here are the latest 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls 16 Club Rankings
Most Illinois 16s will be in action during the Presidents Day holiday at tournaments from Indiana to Nebraska. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) The first thing you notice when you try to track down records of teams you think should be ranked is that while the Illinois COVID-19 restrictions were in place, everyone went anywhere to find someone to play.Wisconsin. Indiana, Iowa. Tennessee. Alabama. Kids may be learning from home, but they are still getting an education in geography.Meanwhile, Illinois clubs are gearing up for one of several Presid...
Adversity reaches into ranks of former Olympians to add new coach to staff
Adversity Volleyball Club has hired former Olympian and Pepperdine Hall of Famer Tom Sorensen to coach its boys and girls teams. (Photo by Dave Ruggles of Adversity 18 Adidas at last year's Winter Volleyball Championships) Tom Sorensen during his playing days at Pepperdine University. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFew youth volleyball clubs can say they have a former Olympian on staff.Adversity is one of them.The Vernon Hills-based club recently hired Pepperdine Hall of Famer Tom Sorensen to coach both boys’ and girls’ teams. ...
Hinsdale Central meets the Dukes' challenge – and has a little fun in the process
Hinsdale Central's (from left) Matthew Schwab, Cullen Bradley, Jakobi Lange, Nicholas Kujalowicz, Ethan Du, Sam Snyder and AJ Hood. Winning easy is OK, but winning hard is fun.“This was really fun,” said Hinsdale Central’s 6-4 sophomore Jakobi Lange.Lange had 15 kills and 6-3 senior outside hitter AJ Hood added 6 kills and a pair of blocks as Hinsdale Central broke a 13-13 tie with a 7-2 run midway through Game 2 and never looked back, defeating York, 20-25, 25-17, 25-18, Tuesday in Elmhurst.“This is the first game where we had real good ...
Kahl's original five plan to go out the same way they came in – together, and winning
SPVB 18 Kahl's Katie Kaburov (26) rips a kill between two Rolling Thunder 18 Blue defenders Sunday during the Presidents' Day Challenge at the Schaumburg Convention Center. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Greek philosopher Heraclitus coined the phrase “change is the only constant in life.”Although Heraclitus lived more than 2,500 years ago, he could have just as easily been talking about Sports Performance’s No. 2 18s team.After a successful run as 13s, Kayla Closset (Naperville Central), Gretchen Ketelhut (Plainfield North), Maddie Bourque (York...
Lake Park, Schellinger stop Barrington in battle of unbeaten powerhouses
If some of these faces look familiar, they should. Lake Park features a senior-dominated lineup that has been together since this photo was taken in 2019, when the Lancers lost in the sectional semifinals to Glenbard West. Sometimes it’s not how many errors you make, but when you make them.Barrington and Lake Park met in Roselle Saturday in a battle of two unbeatens. Both finished the match with the same number of errors – 21. But Barrington’s errors proved more costly, particularly its 12 service errors, one very untimely rotation miscue a...