St. Rita is in the midst of a brutal stretch of games that includes Sandburg, Glenbard West, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West and St. Francis. Zach Carroll came off the floor looking like he had just run an ultra marathon. “I'm very exhausted,” he said.He had reason to be.The 6-foot-3 outside hitter and his St. Rita teammates laid it all on the line through the first two sets of their non-conference match Thursday at Glenbard West, leading 25-20, 14-11, and seemingly on the verge of a huge win heading into the IHSA tournament in 11 da...
Nazareth's defense thwarts Belvidere North in 3A finals; Normal West jars JCA
Normal West libero Sydnie Hernandez (9) stretches to reach a ball during the Wildcats' victory over Joliet Catholic in the Class 3A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 3ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Defense wins championships.And did Nazareth ever defend.The Roadrunners overcame a 12-6 deficit in the third set to defeat No. 1-ranked Belvidere North, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, in the Class 3A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena.Defense was the difference.The IHSA does not keep records for tournament digs, but ...
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 ...
Lincoln-Way East seniors get a little help from sophomore Ava Nepkin to win SWSC Blue
Lincoln-Way East team members pose with the championship plaque following the victory over Sandburg that gave them sole possession of the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue division title. Lincoln-Way East sophomores Jada James (left) and Ava Nepkin. Lincoln-Way East’s seniors will go out as Southwest Suburban Conference champions – the school’s first league title since 2017 and just the second since 2006.But they owe a huge debt of gratitude to 6-2 sophomore outside hitter Ava Nepkin, who almost single-handedly gift-wrapped the victory...
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...
Club directors face tough decision with nationals still scheduled to proceed
Amanda Rice (7) and Adversity G18 Adidas teammates are one of 16 girls teams from Illinois that have qualified for the 2020 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship in Dallas, Texas, June 25-July 4, in the 15-18 age divisions. But will they go? (Photos by Dave Ruggles) (Updated Thursday, April 30)Should we stay or should we go?That is the overriding question facing Illinois volleyball clubs with the news that, as of today, USA Volleyball still plans to conduct its boys and girls national championships notwithstanding the COVID-19 ...
Presenting the Michio Chicago VBA Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Team
Willowbrook is the 2021 Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Team of the Year after starting the season with 30 consecutive wins, handing eventual Class 4A champion Metea Valley one of its two losses and reaching the sectional finals at Class 4A runner-up Mother McAuley. Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2021 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the clas...
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...