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...
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...
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...
Naperville North's perfect, albeit short season ends with perfect sendoff for eight seniors
Naperville North bid farewell to eight seniors Thursday while wrapping up a 10-0 season with a 25-16, 25-9 victory over visiting Waubonsie Valley. Naperville North has enjoyed some great success during head coach Jen Urban’s tenure.There was the 2004 team that went 34-6 and reached the Class AA supersectional before losing to Downers Grove South, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23. There was the 31-7 team in 2006 led by future University of Illinois All-American Colleen Ward.And there was last year’s team, which overcame the loss of 6-foot-2 outside hitt...
Illprepvb.com presents the 20 All-Time Best Illinois Girls Volleyball Teams, Nos. 16-20
Payson-Seymour's 2017 team was one of the most dominant Class 1A champions in IHSA history, going three sets in only one of its 41 victories. 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 begins its countdown of the 20 All-Time Best Illinois Girls' High School Volleyball Teams.The task was monumental, to be sure. There have been 84 championship tea...
Metea Valley has it their way at Kaneland with MacDonald (sort of) out of the picture
Metea Valley defeated host Kaneland to win the Knight Invite on Saturday. https://youtu.be/P-PnPYAbFDA By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAgustin “Gus” Colima was on the hot seat Saturday in Kaneland.It’s a good thing he had Kira Hutson watching his back.Hutson, a 6-4 junior outside hitter who is committed to Florida, had 21 kills, 3 blocks and an assist to lead Metea Valley (24-2) to a 25-18, 15-25, 25-14 victory over host Kaneland Saturday in the championship match of the Knight Invite.Junior outside hitter Annabelle Troy added 8 ...