Lockport improved to 13-2 overall with its 11th consecutive win, a 24-26, 25-19, 25-16 victory over Downers Grove South in the championship match of the Andrew invite. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEight games in five days.Hope somebody remembered to put blankets and pillows on the team bus.“It was a long week,” said Lockport coach Nick Mraz. “You could tell they were gassed at the end of the third match last night. It really takes a toll on you.”Even 6-2 middle hitter Jenna Kolosta, who only plays three rotations across the net,...

St. Ignatius junior Marin Thaxton (6) said that a little friendly competition in practice is making the Wolfpack better when they take the court against other teams. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comA little inner competition has made the St. Ignatius girls' volleyball team even better.That showed on Tuesday evening in the Wolfpacks’ early season Girls Catholic Athletic Conference crossover showdown against Providence. Junior outside hitter Marin Thaxton ended both sets with kills as St. Ignatius slip...

Williamsville freshman Hannah Holiday (4) is flanked by (from left) Riley Holliday, Britni Walters and Brianna Walters, By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIt take a lot of trust for a senior setter to continue to deliver the ball to a freshman who is playing her first season on their school's varsity volleyball team. Unless that trust has been developed over, say .. 13 or 14 years. Hannah Holiday, a 5-8 freshman outside hitter for Williamsville (4-1), has a unique relationship with her setter. Hannah’s setter happens to be ...

Downers Grove North's (from left) Kelly Crowley, Alyssa Walters, Emme Reid, Abby Gross, Jenny Buehler and Sarah Rutkowski. https://youtu.be/Ba3uZu1GTtg By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThings were looking mighty bleak for Downers Grove North in the third set of its match Tuesday at Naperville Central.By momentum is a fickle mistress.No sooner had Naperville Central extended an 11-9 lead to 18-13 than momentum turned its back on the hosts.“When one of our outside hitters, Adriana (Marsicano), came in to serve, she got us on a run,”...

Barrington won its fourth consecutive championship at Jacobs, defeating Crystal Lake Central, 25-22, 25-21, in the final. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAddie Brookbank wasn’t going to be the one to let the streak end.“We’ve won this every year I’ve been here,” said Barrington’s 6-0 senior outside hitter.And what happens when Barrington wins the Jacobs tournament?“Good things happen when we win this,” said Barrington coach Michelle Mayer-Jakubowski.Brookbank supplied 7 kills and an ace and Whitney Mall provided 9 kills and an ace as B...

Lexington High School outside hitter Avery Poppe (8) had difficulty penetrating Tremont's block during a 25-12, 25-12 loss to the host Turks on Thursday. Tremont finished with 7 blocks. (On the home page) Tremont High School setter Lilly Klaus (21), who recently surpassed 1,000 career assists, had 25 assists and 8 digs in Thursday's 25-12, 25-12 victory over previously unbeaten Lexington at Tremont. (Photos by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comTREMONT – Playing shorthanded against Tremont High School’s strong-armed volley...

Willowbrook returns eight seniors from last year's team that finished third in Class 4A, incluiding Louisville recruit Hannah Kenny (6). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEven Superman needed a little help from the Justice League from time to time.Willowbrook’s 5-7 setter/rightside hitter Hannah Kenny had 11 kills, 17 assists, 12 digs, 6 aces and a block Wednesday against visiting Lyons Township.Somehow, it wasn’t enough.Lyons Township overcame deficits of 17-9 in the second set and 20-12 in the third to defeat Willowbrook, 25-27, 25...

Grace Kreutz had 10 kills to lead Loyola Academy to a 25-21, 25-17 victory over Lincoln-Way East in Saturday's championship match of the 2024 Mizuno Crimson Classic. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLast weekend was an opportunity for every girls’ high school volleyball fan in Illinois to get reacquainted with Loyola Academy’s 5-11 outside hitter Grace Kreutz.Kreutz, who helped to lead the Ramblers to an IHSA Class 4A supersectional appearance as a sophomore, suffered a devastating knee injury that force ...

Timothy Christian led 23-21 in the second set Monday at York but could not close the game out, losing 25-23, 26-24. By Phl BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor York’sr Amalia Toliopoulos was rocking a smile that stretched from one end of Spring Road to the other.“We played amazing,” said the Dukes’ 5-9 junior setter. “We wanted to win. This was our first home game and obviously playing against an Olympian. We brought the hype.  We lost a lot of starters from last year and got a bunch of new people, but everyone played awesome.“Everyone played ...

Prior to this weel, Fremd's Victoria Belmonte had been unable to play volleyball due to three knee inuries suffered prior to her sophomore year. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorVictoria Belmonte was one of the top freshmen in the state when she made her varsity debut during the 2021 season, contributing 161 kills and 26 blocks for a 37-3 Fremd team that reached an IHSA Class 4A supersectional.But a serious knee injury prior to her sophomore year led Belmonte on an 18-month journey of frustration, rehabilitation ...