Must-see: IC Catholic junior libero Bella Leslie. The 5-foot-6 standout led the Knights with 328 digs last season and is a player to watch in a deep conference. “By the end of this summer, we’re walking away from the matches saying, ‘Holy cow,’ ” IC Catholic coach Nancy D’Amore said. D’Amore added that Leslie was a bit nervous at the start of her sophomore season, but by the second half of the season, “every gym we walked out of, coaches, parents and refs said, ‘that kid is something special.’ ” Leslie controls the back row, D’Amore said, where the great defensive players often take over. She said Leslie still has a lot of potential. Others to watch: Shannon Marbach, Ridgewood; Heidi Westra, Timothy Christian; Celeste Boshold, Elmwood Park.
Save the date: Timothy Christian at Chicago Christian, Oct. 18. This match features teams that battled for last year’s conference championship, as the Trojans finished second to Chicago Christian. “It’s a good volleyball rivalry. We always seem to have good matches,” Timothy Christian coach Scott Piersma said. “They should be very strong again.” Other top games: Elmwood Park at Guerin, Oct. 11; Elmwood Park at Ridgewood, Sept. 20.
Beyond the box score: IC Catholic will be looking to eclipse last year’s playoff performance, as the Knights lost to Resurrection in a Class 3A regional final. Resurrection went on to finish second at the state tournament. This year, IC Catholic has dropped down to Class 2A. “Going to 2A, we’re going to be positioned to make a really strong run in the tournament,” D’Amore said. Meanwhile, Timothy Christian will have four or five sophomores playing on varsity. “I’m not pulling up sophomores to sit on the bench,” Piersma said. “There will be a learning curve.”
Making a difference: Ridgewood will host its 10th annual Volleyball for Autism Tournament on Sept. 15. The Rebels raise money by selling T-shirts, wristbands and other items. Ridgewood coach David Wlodarczyk said there have been a few years where a team member has a sibling or cousin with autism. “We bring the kids out to the court to deliver the ball,” Wlodarczyk said. “It is really cool to see.” Also, IC Catholic will take a night off to pack food for impoverished children. Elmwood Park will partner with nearby rival Fenton to have a Volleyball for the Cure night. Elmwood Park coach Katie Merkouris said the kids are excited about the charitable effort and teaming up with the neighboring Bison.
On the rise: Guerin coach Tracy Devey said her team is still developing, but she said the program is moving in the right direction. Last season, there were six freshmen in the program, while this year that number has risen to 13. “That’s huge for our program, huge for our school,” Devey said. “We’re going to have a lot of young talent.” The story is similar at IC Catholic. The Knights started three freshmen last season. “That’s quite unusual,” D’Amore said. The defense will be the team’s strength, but now the team also has some offensive power. Meanwhile, Elmwood Park has seen an increase in the number of players participating in club volleyball. “Having more players with experience is exciting to bring to the program,” Merkouris said.”
This and that: It was quite a topsy-turvy offseason for the Metro Suburban Conference. Aurora Christian, Bishop McNamara, St. Francis and Rosary joined the conference, while Glenbard South, Illiana Christian and Walther Christian departed. With the extra school, the conference will now move to three or four crossover matches from the previous one or two, with all games counting in the Red and Blue standings. …Timothy Christian senior libero Abygale Ahn also plays tennis in the fall. Last year, she finished third in the Class 1A state doubles competition with Cassandra Lee. “She’s a special athlete,” Piersma said. …Ridgewood won 19 matches last season, the most in program history. Marbach, a 6-2 middle blocker, returns to lead the Rebels. … Boshold, Elmwood Park’s 5-foot-9 middle blocker, is also a softball standout and used to attend Guerin.
