Blue Steel Volleyball Club's 16-1 boys team went 5-4 and finished 13th in the 16 USA division at the USAV Boys Junior National Championship. The team was coached by Melissa Massey (far right) and her sister, Lauren Martin (far left), and featured Massey's three sons -- Riley (23), Sutton (9) and Trent (standing behind Sutton) -- and Martin's son Landon (17). The first thing that jumps out at you when surveying the roster for the Boys BSVBC 16-1 team that competed at the recent USAV Boys Junior National Championship in Kansas City is th...
McAuley ends De La Salle’s season-opening win streak; Benet, Gregus stymie Nazareth
Ella Sandt and her Nazareth teammates had trouble containing Benet and outside hitter Sophie Gregus Tuesday in Lisle. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com De La Salle still believes.The Meteors saw their unbeaten start to the season end Tuesday. They battled, but fell short in a 25-20, 25-20 loss to host Mother McAuley in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division opener for both teams.It was the sixth win in seven matches for the Mighty Macs (6-5), while De La Salle (8-1) saw its eight-match winning streak end. “We played ...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Outside hitters, Pt. I
Decatur St. Teresa's Valerie Nutakor will lead the Bulldogs' bid for a second consecutive IHSA Class 2A championship in 2020. (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.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday released long-awaited guidance for schools across the state that would allow them to re-open in the fall. Each school district will determine how to implement the guidance based on its unique circumstances, the statemen...
Mules have the horses to reach Redbird; Gorys’ return should give Providence a lift
Fairfield won a Class 2A sectional in 2018 before its season was derailed in the supersectional by Nashville. Despite losing six seniors, the Mules should enjoy another long tournament run in 2019. Illprepvb.com continues its coverage of the 2019 Illinois girls high school season with another set of team previews. School: FairfieldConference: Black Diamond EastHead coach: Chet SnyderLast season's highlights: 31-9 overall, 8-2 in conference (conference co-champs), won Benton invitational, won regional and sectional tournaments, lost...
Joliet Catholic powers on, beats Whitney Young for Metea Valley/Oswego East title
Joliet Catholic won its second Metea Valley/Oswego East Tournament title in three years. By Randy WhalenSpecial to ILlprepvb.comEverything that happened to the Joliet Catholic girls’ volleyball team in August has not only helped the team now, it should certainly pay dividends in November.Still missing five players and a pair of starters, the Angels just keep going strong. They did that again Saturday morning with a 25-16, 25-23 victory over Whitney Young in the title match of the Metea Valley/Oswego East Tournament in Oswego. The win ...
Benet stops two-time defending champ Marist; WW South reaches 4A final
Benet's Sophie Gregus hits over the block of Marist's Ellie Kurpeikis and freshman Kamryn Chaney (Photo by Dave Ruggles). NORMAL – The Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." Benet coach Brad Baker had his own spin on preparation Friday in the catacombs of Redbird Arena. “It’s one thing to know what to do, it’s another thing to do it,” he said. Benet did it. Behind a smothering Game 1 defense and an 11-4 run in Game 2 that wiped out a 17-11 deficit, Benet defeated two-time defending Cl...
Vasquez setting up winners for Barrington; Downers Grove South stuns Rockford Boylan
Gabe Hartke led Barrington with 17 kills Thursday at Downers Grove South. (photo by Dave Ruggles) Barrington’s Kyle Vasquez has not set a ball in anger since his freshman year. He is better known as one of the top liberos in the Class of 2019 and has committed to play volleyball at Benedictine University, ranked No. 5 in the nation in Division III. But after the Broncos struggled through the first half of the season despite returning four starters from last year’s 34-6 IHSA quarterfinalist, Vasquez was pressed into duty at the reins of the ...
Illprepvb.com presents the 20 All-Time Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Teams, Nos. 6-10
Illprepvb.com Team of the Year Sterling defeated Joliet Catholic in the 2018 Class 3A championship match to claim the school's first volleyball title. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) There have been many great teams throughout the history of IHSA girls’ high school volleyball – undefeated champions, once-beaten champions, and some teams that did not win a state championship despite their pedigree. Today, Illprepvb.com continues its countdown of the 20 All-Time Best Illinois Girls' High School Volleyball Teams. The task was monumental, to ...
Marist’s balance, determination too much for Mother McAuley in sectional final
Marist defeated Mother McAuley for the third time this season to win the Class 4A sectional at Marist. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarist took care of business. Displaying the balanced attack and fortitude that made them a two-time defending IHSA Class 4A champion, the host RedHawks toppled Mother McAuley, 25-21, 25-13, Wednesday in the title match of the Class 4A sectional at Marist. The victory was the 24th consecutive win for Marist (37-2), which will face Sandburg at 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the Eisenhower supe...
Normal Community wins battle of unbeatens, stops Chopra, Champaign Central
Michigan recruit Mira Chopra (far left) and her Champaign Central teammates ventured to Normal Thursday where they were handed their first loss of the season by unbeaten Normal Community. (Photo courtesy of News-Gazette) Normal Community's Mallory Oloffson (left) helped the undefeated Lady Iron top previously unbeaten Champaign Central, 25-14, 17-25, 25-20, at Normal. Looking to dig up a potential block by Brianna Becker (11) and Olivia Jackson (7) are Addison Boundy (3) and Sophia Feeney (1). (Photo by Randy Sharer). By Randy Sharer...