Normal - St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball head coach Abby McDonald was honored this past Saturday during the year's IHSA Volleyball State Finals with her induction into the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Having won more than 400 matches during her coaching career, St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Abby McDonald has become a member of the IVCA Hall of Fame. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Under her leadership, the SJO volleyball program collects 20-win seasons like Halloween candy. Earlier this season McDonald earned her 400th career coach win. A mere 1,432 days earlier, the Spartans celebrated her 300th coaching victory in 2019.
McDonald, a second-grade teacher by trade, took over the head coaching position at St. Joseph-Ogden High School in 2008. Since then, the Spartans have won nine IHSA regional titles, two sectional, and two supersectional titles. In 2016, finished as runner-up in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament and she led the program back again in 2019, when the finish third in the state.
The veteran coach has amassed 417 wins against just 95 losses and looks to continue to build on her coaching legacy.
McDonald knows volleyball.
She graduated from Hoopeston Area High School in 2001. She was a three-sport athlete earning ten varsity levels. After a two-year stint at Danville Community College where she was team captain, All-Conference, and the team's MVP, she also ranked in the top 10 in the nation for assists per game. After two years, McDonald transfered to University of Illinois-Springfield where she quickly found herself back in her leadership role as a team captain and starter for the Prairie Stars.
Just as her older sister in 2016, Kennedi Burrnett will play volleyball on the state's biggest stage under the bright lights of Redbird Arena. The opportunity would not have been possible had it not been for St. Joseph-Ogden's smoldering turnaround midway into the second set of their supersectional match against Chicago Christian last Friday.
Seniors Jenna Albrecht (left) and Lacey Kaiser celebrate their supersectional title win with head coach Abby McDonald.
After dropping the first set 25-15, the Spartans found their groove after a gritty 25-23 second set and playing the brand of volleyball that fueled 20 consecutive match wins, took the third set and the match, 25-16.
"We came out a little hesitant," said Burnett, who like her sister Abby, will play on a final four Spartan volleyball team for the coveted Class 2A state title. "But then we just jumped back into it. We knew this is what we were waiting for all year. We just kept it together."
Burnett tallied a team-high 11 kills. She also came up big defensively with nine digs and two blocks for the Spartans.
"I think my nerves got into my head a little bit," said outside hitter Katelyn Berry. She was confident that her teammates would do what was needed to get the win, but to secure the win she had to step up her game. "I knew for my team I had to make a change."
The timidity felt by the Spartans in the opening set was both palatable and warranted by the way the Chicago Christian's six-foot, one-inch outside hitter Lia Moore was pounding the ball into the back court. The Michigan State recruit, who will become a Spartan herself next fall, couldn't miss.
Another six-footer for the Knights, Logan Grevengoed and the 5-foot-11 Delanie Grevengoed formed a wall above the tape the Spartan could not penetrate easily.
"I thought our opponent did a great job of keeping us out of system," said head coach Abby McDonald. The pace of the rallies was faster than what she and her assistant coaches saw in the film they had at their disposal. "It was really fast and intense. We were on our heels on defense."
Rylee Stahl celebrates a point for the Spartans. The senior libero had a team a team-high 19 digs to lead SJO into the Class 2A final four. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Leading up to a 17-all score in the second set, the score between was tied seven times with the Knights scoring the go-ahead point.
On the eight tie, SJO surged ahead ticking off three unanswered points to get to a 20-17 tilt before Knights' head coach Karen Van Assen called a timeout.
McDonald used the break to inspire her players.
"She just told us to forget about that set. We've been there before and we know how to come back from that," Berry recounted. She was held to just six kills by the Knights. "We know how to come back from that. A new set is a new set."
Holding on to win the second set would put the final match outcome in SJO's favor. Prior to the supersectional, out of the seven three-setters this season, SJO took the match in all but two. The Spartans lost to St. Thomas More and St. Teresa, who will also play a semifinal on Friday, in deciding third sets. SJO won their last five extended matches and the odds were dramatically in their favor if they finish the second set with a win.
"Honestly, I felt Katelyn did really well," senior Stephanie Trame said about Berry's overall performance. "She had a great attitude when she was blocked. She didn't let it get in her head."
Trame was contributed seven of the SJO's 34 match kills.
"We had more energy in the second set and started playing as a team," she added. "We found ourselves."
With their confidence continuing to swell and the combined defensive leadership of Rylee Stahl and Emily Bigger, St. Joseph-Ogden pulled out the second set, 25-23. At libero, Stahl keep the ball in play with a team-high 19 digs. Bigger had 16 and made 26 passes. In one of their best defensive efforts of the season, SJO players combined for 70 digs in the three-setter.
Payton Vallee bouyed the Spartans on both offense and defense as well. In addition to her two digs, the junior along with senior Lacey Kaiser, who notched 8 digs, were co-leaders in blocks at the net with three apiece. Vallee also put away six well-placed kills in the supersectional effort.
Emily Bigger and Stephanie Trame get their hands up to deflect a shot by Chicago Christian's Olivia Ingelse during first set action on Friday at Chicago Christian High School. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
"We went into the third set with a lot of momentum," McDonald said. "We were in their heads offensively and defensively. They were having to think about every touch on the ball."
Her team jumped out to a modest 4-1 lead to open the final set. Chicago Christian worked their way out of the deficit to tie the game at 4-4 thanks to an ace.
SJO immediately got a sideout and took the lead. They pieced together a five-point run forcing the Knights to burn a timeout staring 9-5 deficit.
When the action resumed, the Spartans continued to exploited the hole it found in the hard-hitting Chicago Christian armor and increased the scoring gap by eight points to 19-11.
"We've got three kids that can swing. We've got a defense that is quick and aggressive," McDonald said about the momentum shift. "I just thought that once we got going and our kids gained some confidence and knew we could compete with them. I knew we could pull it out."
Eleven serves later, the SJO contingent - players, fans and parents - were celebrating a well-deserved victory.
"There are just so many emotions right now," Burnett said. "I'm just so excited. I'm blessed to be with all these people on the court and I couldn't be happier."
Kennedi Burnett, Addie Roesch, and Shayne Immke combined effort produced 10 service aces to help the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball beat visiting Illini Prairie rival Monticello in straight sets 2-0 on Tuesday evening.
Senior Ashley Eldridge pounds the ball for an SJO point during set one against Monticello. The Spartans took the first set easily, 25-7. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
The Spartans jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set before Monticello used a timeout to regroup. Five points later, with the Sages looking at a ten-point deficit at 13-3, Monticello head coach Kim Allison called for another break.
Ranked 27th in Class 2A and 102 in the state by MaxPreps, SJO's defensive effort allowed just four more points in the 25-7 first set finish.
However, the start of the second set was not as pretty as the first set for the St. Joseph-0gden team coming off a 2-0 loss to Tri-Valley on Monday. Down 4-0 and plagued by inconsistent play, McDonald called timeout to allow her team to regroup.
When the set resumed, the Spartans carefully worked their way back into the game despite a streak of tenacious play from the Sages. The two teams would tie eight times, the last at 24-all. Two exchanges later, SJO prevailed 26-24 to win the match.
"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Some nights we're on. Some nights we've been off finding that leadership role, that determination to be able to finish and play consistent," said head coach Abby McDonald. "We hope that we are learning from these opportunities we've been given."
Roesch led the Spartan offensive effort with seven kills and two aces. Burnett added another four kills to the mix and led the team serving effort with five aces. Immke, with three aces, notched three kills and led the defense with 11 digs.
"I thought when the pressure was on they kept their composure," McDonald said. "That's something they have done well throughout the season. They don't get rattled. It was good for them to be able to finish in a tight set like that."
Despite a tough 25-14, 25-15, non-conference loss to the Vikings of Tri-Valley a little more than 24 hours earlier, McDonald was happy with how her team performed.
"We had a rough night last night," she added. "To be able to bounce back without practice and without time to really discuss some of the things we need to fix, I thought they did a nice job of finishing."
Becca Steinbach had 15 assists and was credited with three digs. Hannah Fox also delivered nine digs in the win.
"I am proud of the kids. There were a lot of distractions tonight and a lot of different emotions in this building," Abby McDonald said, referring to the Dick Duval scholarship fundraiser the team was also heavily involved in. An early estimate of $14,000 had been raised for the memorial scholarship to honor the former SJO educator and football coach. "I thought they handled themselves well, considering everything that was going on."
The SJO volleyball team plays again this week on Thursday against Salt Fork.
SJO head coach Abby McDonald shakes hands with an IHSA administrator before receiving her third-place medal at the IHSA Volleyball State Finals in 2019. The 13-year veteran coach and her volleyball program are raising funds for a new scholarship program to honor former educator and football coach Dick Duval. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team will host a fundraiser to create a scholarship fund in the name of former longtime head football coach Dick Duval at its October 5 home game against Monticello.
Duval, who built SJO into a respected Class 3A powerhouse football program, passed away on August 26. Not only was he a math teacher and the school's athletic director for many years, but was also a member of the SJO Hall of Fame and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. His career coaching record is an impressive 251 wins against 75 losses during his tenure with the Spartans.
Head coach Abby McDonald, who took over the head coach position at SJO in 2008, believes in the importance of her players giving back and leads the varsity, JV, and freshman teams in administering projects to benefit someone or an organization in the community.
"At least once while they are in high school, I like our girls to do some sort of community service project at one of our matches - something to give back to the community because the community does some much for them and for us," McDonald said.
Last year, because of the state's Covid mitigation, the team did not have a project to work on. The program's last effort was a fundraiser for a fellow player who had cancer.
"Coach Duval is such a huge part of who I am as a coach but also a huge supporter of all SJO athletics," McDonald said. Like Duval, she immediately made an impact after taking the reins, building the volleyball program into one that consistently makes deep postseason runs, including two IHSA final four appearances. "We wanted to do something to show support to his family and to continue his legacy. We thought a scholarship in his name, for hopefully several years to come, will be exactly the way we would want his legacy to continue."
For the main event, the Spartans will square off against Illini Prairie Conference foe Monticello. Duval, after retiring from the St. Joseph-Ogden school district, returned to teaching as a substitute teacher and taught mathematics at Monticello.
"There will be several opportunities to support the fundraiser," McDonald pointed out. There will be a pork chop dinner special, a silent auction, t-shirts for sale, and more in addition to the traditional 50/50 contest. "The girls are doing some different fundraiser opportunities. They are going to have pumpkins to buy that they have been working on."
She is hoping for a good turnout at the Tuesday evening match to help seed the scholarship fund so it will be available to SJO graduates entering college for decades to come.
"The more money we raise, the more years we can name a scholarship winner in his name."
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program has also won nine regional titles, two sectional sectional plaques, and two state trophies, one in 2016 and another three years later in 2019.
Modest about her accomplishment, she said the credit goes to all the players who contributed to the program's success. "Honestly, it's just a number on paper. What I hope it does is inspire them to continue the tradition that not only they have been a part of - this is going to age me - but also the hundreds of girls before them."
Now in her 18th year with SJO, 16 as head coach, with the exception of the abbreviated 2021 season, her teams have posted 20-plus wins every year. SJO is eight wins away from another 20-win season heading into Wednesday night's non-conference home match against the Danville Vikings.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
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Point - Spartans!
St. Joseph-Ogden's Anna Wentzloff, Alex Frerichs, Hannah Umbarger and Shayne Immke celebrate a point for the Spartans with head coach Abby McDonald during game three of their Class 2A supersectional match against Chicago Christian...
(St. Joseph) - Kennedi Burnett served 15 consecutive points in set 2 of St. Joseph-Ogden's volleyball match against Danville on Wednesday. Behind the senior's pinpoint serving and a strong offensive team effort, the Spartans prevailed 25-10, 25-7, on their home court.
Abby Burnett celebrates a point for the Spartans.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
"It is good for her to go on those kinds of runs," said SJO head coach Abby McDonald, who pointed out Burnett delivered a similar performance against St. Teresa earlier in the season. "We talk a lot about what she can do for us offensively, but she provides a lot for us defensively in the back row as well. It is good for her to build confidence because there will be moments, hopefully in the postseason and as we get closer, that we will need her to be consistent behind the end line."
Burnett, who hit four aces and delivered six kills over the two-set match, left the backline after the Spartans built a 17-1 lead in the final set. McDonald's team would engineer 3 three-point runs for the remainder of the set for the 25-7 victory.
Earlier in the first set, taking advantage of a weak defensive response from visiting Vikings, St. Joseph-Ogden jumped out to an 11-3 lead before their opponents called a timeout in hopes of initiating a momentum shift. Fourteen exchanges later with the score at 20-8, both teams were back on the sidelines after Danville burned another timeout.
"Our goal was to make sure we stayed quick, offensively and defensively, no matter what our opponent was giving us," said St. Joseph-Ogden head coach Abby McDonald. "That was our goal tonight was just make sure we were staying quick and not playing to anybody else's tempo. I thought they did a nice job of that throughout the duration of the whole match."
Addie Roesch, also a senior, contributed five kills and junior Shayne Immke pounded four of her own. Roesch and Burnett were responsible for 10 digs for their team with four and six respectively. Immke also served up an ace for the Spartan cause.
After tonight's match with St. Thomas More, the SJO volleyball team will travel to Urbana on Monday and host Unity at home in the main gym on Tuesday. McDonald's Spartans will finish out the week on a long road trip to Pontiac for another Illini Prairie Conference match on Thursday, September 23.
Peyton Williams pummel the ball through the Hoopeston Area defensive effort during SJO's home match on
ST. JOSEPH - The St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team posted their 25th win of the season after defeating Fisher at home for Senior Night in straight sets, 2-0. The non-conference victory improves head coach Abby McDonald's 2023 season record to an impressive 25-4.
Peyton Williams led the Spartan offense in the contest with 12 kills and three aces. Addie Roesch pounded six kills and racked up a match-high seven aces.
Halle Brazelton, who chalked up three aces, distributed 20 assists during the regular season match in SJO's Main Gym. The senior also was credited with three aces and seven digs.
Sadie Ericksen led the defense with nine digs, while Brazelton and Roesch contributed seven more apiece as the Spartans took both sets, 25-13.
SJO honored eight seniors, including Halle Brazelton, Sadie Ericksen, Grace Goldenstein, Chloe Harper, Halene Jones, Taylyn Lockhart, Addie Roesch, and Peyton Williams.
Related SJO volleyball news:
Volleyball milestone reached, SJO's McDonald reaches the 400th match win
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program ...
St. Joseph-Ogden didn't back down.
The grit and teamwork they displayed during their state semifinal match against Mater Dei was undoubtedly one for the ages. Despite the 2-1 loss, SJO's impressive level of perseverance during the match is one future generations of Spartan volleyball players will need to embrace if they wish too ascend to the same stage.
Kennedi Burnett passes the ball during SJO's second set comeback against Mater Dei. The freshman outside hitter had 17 kills in the IHSA semifinal. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Mater Dei head coach Chad Rakers left no doubt that his team had just finished an epic match.
"That St. Joseph-Ogden team was legit," he said in the post-match presser. "They are a real deal defending team.
The Spartans defensive effort yielded 55 digs during the marathon match. Rylee Stahl led the Spartans with 17 of those digs. Emily Bigger, with seven digs, distributed 32 assists.
"They were a force to be reckoned with," he said. "They made us fight for every point."
Kennedi Burnett led the SJO offense with 14 kills and nine digs. Katelyn Berry added another seven a emotional three-setter that ended 20-25, 25-23, 25-22 in favor of the Lady Knights.
After dropping the first set, the Spartans rallied back from a 8-point deficit to win the set two by two, forcing a deciding third one.
Like her players, Spartan head coach Abby McDonald was disappointed in the outcome, but none the less was proud of how her players fought tooth and nail in the second set as well as the third.
"There are not many teams on this kind of stage make that kind of comeback," McDonald said. "That's what those kids went out and did. They are heroes in my eyes. They're the number one team to us."
The emotional swings were palatable throughout the final set. Neither team backed down or buckled under the intense pressure. Mater Dei's largest lead, one that short-lived, was four points at 12-9.
SJO and the BMD were tied on the scoreboard six times. After the seventh, knotted at 21-all, Mater Dei nudged forward with three unanswered points en route to seize their berth in the title game tomorrow.
Like her players, Spartan head coach Abby McDonald was disappointed in the outcome, but none the less was proud of how her players fought tooth and nail in the second set and their effort in third.
"I am extremely proud of them. They may not feel that right now because it is not the dream and the goal they had," McDonald said. In the locker room she told the players to be proud of what they accomplished and to enjoy the ride. "There are so many schools that don't get this opportunity.
The Spartans will face a super scrappy Rockford Lutheran squad in the third-place contest at around 12:25p tomorrow.
The Lady Crusaders fell in two sets, 25-22, 29-27 to Bulldogs of St. Teresa who will square off with Mater Dei for the Class 2A title.
St. Joseph-Ogden Jenna Albrecht goes up for a block against visiting Champaign Central. The Spartans suffered their second loss of the season in straight sets to visiting Champaign Central, 25-22, 25-20. See more match photos here . . .
Despite pounding 24 kills and an impressive display of resiliency against the taller roster of visiting Champaign Central players, the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball went down swinging in the non-conference meeting between the two teams 2-0 on Tuesday.
SJO led for the first 13 points in set one. After breaking a tie at 8-all, the senior led squad started to pull away stretching their lead to as many as three points over the course of next several exchanges.
However, Central would not let their host, with an enrollment one-third of their own, bully them for long.
"They had an offense that we were not necessarily prepared for. We keyed on some big kids we thought would swing aggressively against us," said SJO head coach Abby McDonald. "They picked our defense apart. They swung aggressively and they tipped well."
After yet another lead change, senior Katelyn Berry and the Spartans fought back valiantly once again to tie the score for the final time in the set. The Maroons buckled down to squeak out the win, 25-22.
SJO mostly trailed the start of the second set and finally clawed their way to their first and only lead at 13-12. The lead change was short-lived as the Maroons rallied back to 16-15 and continued to hit through the Spartans' blocks to a 25-20 finish.
"As a team they played excellent," McDonald said, complimenting the Maroons' aggressive play. "They really got us out of system and kept us out the majority of the night."
While the height disadvantage was evident, Berry said the team needs to find other ways to score.
"I think once we got down we kind of stayed down rather than getting (back) up," she said. "In future when we get down, we have to keep pushing."
Seniors Payton Vallee, Lacey Kaiser and Kennedi Burnett contributed four kills. Kaiser and Burnett tallied 10 digs in the loss. Another senior, Emily Bigger, had 23 assists.
"I commend all of our kids. I thought they fought to the end," McDonald added. "We just didn't capitalize on some of the things that we really needed to be successful."
The loss, when weighed against the level of competition so far, drops SJO's record to a quite respectable at 5-2.
"Its not time for us to peak yet. Let's peak when it counts," McDonald said with her eyes on a deep postseason run. "Our biggest thing right now is what can we learn from every match. Now we have to start making sure we are gaining some kind of knowledge no matter if we win or lose."
Emily Bigger celebrates a point for the Spartans in their home match against St. Thomas More last Thursday. Bigger contributed 32 assists in the 2-1 conference loss. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
The atmosphere was electric in the main gym at St. Joseph-Ogden High School where the Spartan volleyball team faced conference rival St. Thomas More last Thursday. After an intense three-set battle, SJO fell in 2-1 decision to the visiting Sabers.
Leading by as many as five points near the mid point of the first set, The Spartans let St. Thomas clawed their way back into the contest to first an 18-all and again later at 21-all. The Spartans then won the next five points in a dominating fashion to take the set, 25-21.
"We knew what to expect because we have been watching film of them," said Lacey Kaiser. The senior contributed eight kills, seven digs and a pair of blocks over the course of the night. "We knew they would come out twice as hard in the second set after we won the first set."
After winning the first point in the second set, it would be the last time Kaiser and the Spartans, despite a monumental effort on their part, would see anything resembling a lead on the scoreboard for the remainder of the match.
"The second set, we really rallied back and fought," Kaiser said. "We haven't really shown that in past games we've played."
Kennedi Burnett, who echoed Kaiser on the team's strides to improved their mental toughness, led the Spartans with 13 kills. She was also credited with eight digs in the three-setter.
"We didn't let up," Burnett said, talking about how the team has been worked toward staying focused when things are not going their way on the court. "We have been working as a team to get back up."
Spartan head coach Abby McDonald said the team has shown growth since the season started, especially when the match momentum was against them in big games like this one against St. Thomas More.
"I didn't feel like we stayed in the match mentally," she said about her team's performance against the Sabers. There were some mental breakdowns that STM capitalized on. "We still have those moments, but it is much better (now). We keep saying it doesn't have to be our best yet."
Middle Stephanie Trame goes up to put the ball away against the Sabers. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
The Spartans used well-placed tips and scrappy play to stay within striking position to reverse the score. Up by one at 12-11, STM engineered a six point run to go up 18-11. Not willing to going down without a fight, SJO rallied back to a three-point deficit at 23-20 before St. Thomas More closed out the set at 25-20.
"Their offense got going and we really didn't have an answer for it," McDonald said in evaluating the difference in the way her team played in the first set as opposed to the second. Mostly it came down to STM getting the ball to sophomore Anna Mcclure to put away. "We didn't have an answer on defense."
By the third set, St. Thomas More hit their stride mentally and emotionally and never once let Burnett or teammate Katelyn Berry, who chipped ten kills of her own for the Spartans, bully their way past them.
St. Thomas More led by as many six points before Berry and Kaiser's perseverance at the net paid off and pulling SJO within two points of taking the lead in the final set at 21-20. Their momentum stalled and St. Thomas More took the final set, 25-20.
Overall, McDonald was happy with how the team performed.
"I think the kids did a nice job of trying to stay in it," McDonald said. "I feel like they (STM) had more weapons on offense."
While her father Mark smiles holding one of her many mementos, Emily Bigger receives a kiss from her mother Melissa during SJO's senior night recognition on Tuesday prior to the start of volleyball team's final home match of the season. Bigger, a four-year volleyball veteran, is also involved in Spanish Club, FCA, National Honor Society and the school's Advisory Mentoring Program. She and eight other seniors received gifts and were thank for their contribution to program's success over the past four seasons. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Lindsey Aden went out in style at her last home volleyball game. The senior delivered three aces in St. Joseph-Ogden's 2-0 victory over the visiting Olympia Spartans on Tuesday night. Notching their tenth consecutive win, the the maroon and Columbia blue clad Spartans now enjoy an impressive 25-4 record as the end of the regular season draws close.
Katelyn Berry, one of nine seniors honored earlier during the senior night recognition ceremony, lead SJO with a match-high 10 kills. The four-year veteran was also credited with three digs.
"It's so weird, so sad honestly," said Berry, who was multitasking between processing the first of many milestones of her senior year and celebrating her team's victory. "It felt good to get the win."
It was nearly an even matchup for first half of set one until the home team blasted seven unanswered points to go up 18-11. After allowing their opponent six more points, SJO closed out the set with a down-the-line boomer from junior Kennedi Burnett for a 25-17 finish.
"We started off slow, but came back," Berry said, analyzing the initial set. "We need to work on starting out stronger."
In a mirrored start of the first set, SJO dropped the first point of the second and let Olympia take a 3-1 lead. They led the contest for just three of the next 20 exchanges until the score reached 10-all.
"We kept our composure," said head coach Abby McDonald, whose program improved to 7-1, second in the Illini Prairie Conference behind St. Thomas More. "We played a mature match and we made it count when we need to."
Calmly and self-assured, McDonald's team turned up the intensity collecting five points for every one they relinquished to the visiting Spartans. Olympia called a timeout at 19-12 hoping the break would shift the momentum back to their side of the court, but it was too late.
Brodie Sullivan leads fellow football players and volleyball fans in singing Sweet Caroline before the start of St. Joseph-Ogden's last home match of the season. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Senior Katelyn Berry puts the ball away during set two of SJO's home match against Olympia. SJO play their final conference match of the season at Monticello Thursday and start their postseason campaign next Tuesday at Oakwood High School. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
The Spartans were playing in the zone. In their happy place, Berry along with Burnett and Stephanie Trame, registered four kills for the last eight points of the match sealing their Illini Prairie Conference win, 25-14.
Burnett finished the contest with five kills, seven digs and two aces for SJO. Jenna Albrecht added another four kills and Emily Bigger racked up 24 assists. Fellow senior Kenly Taylor contributed five digs and an ace in their home court finale.
Olympia's offense was lead by junior Abby Stine and Bella Dickhut with four kills each. Kaelyn Leverson, a senior, had 20 assists. The Spartans fall to 4-4 in the conference and 15-13 overall on the season.
St. Joseph-Ogden, who have lost just one road match out of 13 this season, squares off next at Monticello (19-13) in the last IPC match of the season. The Sages boast a 7-1 record on their home court going into tomorrow night's contest.
McDonald is eagerly looking forward to the match in Monticello and competing in the annual Mt. Pulaski tournament this weekend. SJO will face Mt. Zion and Illini Central in pool play on Saturday morning.
"I think this group plays much better on the road."
With this year's SJO volleyball team heading to Redbird Arena later this week to once again compete for the Illinois High School Association's state champion trophy, today's Memory Monday looks back to the volleyball program's final four opener three years ago.
Parker Francisco (left) and Bree Trimble celebrates a point for the Spartans during game one of their state semifinal contest against Althoff Catholic back on November 11 in 2016. The Crusaders jumped out a 5-0 lead and never looked back in the set to spanking SJO, 25-10. However, Francisco, who would finish the first day's battle with 10 kills and 5 digs, and the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball team let loose and rallied back to take the next two sets advancing to the Class 2A title game against Eureka.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Oh, yeah!
Jannah Mullen celebrates a point for the Spartans in the final set against the Crusaders. After dropping an ugly first set to Althoff, the Spartans take the final two 25-18, 25-8. Mullen served the team's only ace of the game and finished the Friday semifinal credited with three digs.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Resilient, relentless
Bree Trimble passes the ball to the front row in game one. The sophomore contributed nine digs and two assists in the Friday afternoon victory three years ago today. The Spartans shook off the first set loss and won the next two to take the match and improve their season record to 31-3.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Members of St. Joseph-Ogden's Maroon Platoon cheer for the volleyball team during second set action. With only four kills in the first set, the student cheering section didn't have much to cheer about. However, their team stormed back to pound 32 bombs in the last two sets to punch their ticket into Saturday's title match against the Eureka Hornets. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Left: SJO head coach Abby McDonald realigns her players on the floor during set one of SJO's match against Althoff. Right: Senior Kylie Michael leaps with excitement after another point for SJO. Michael led the Spartan offense with at match-high 18 kills and 12 digs. A redshirt freshman during the 2018 season at Eastern Illinois University, she played 68 sets to finish the season with 132 kills along with 115 digs and 26 blocks. (Photos: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Jannah Mullen lunges to make a dig and keep the ball in play during second set action. She was one of six seniors on the 2016 squad that would go on to place second in Class 2A. Mullen continued her volleyball career at Lakeland College where as a sophomore last year she was named second-team All-Region. She led the team with 520 digs, 19th in NJCAA Division I last November. Check the gallery, online for a limited time only, for more than 100 other photos from this match here: PhotoNews RAW Collection (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
St. Joseph-Ogden parents and fans cheer for their team during a timeout in the second set. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Reaching for greatness
Parker Francisco leaps above the net to block a Eureka kill attempt. The two-sport athlete's leadership was key in the Spartans advancing to the Class 2A title match on Saturday at Redbird Arena.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Spartans Bree Trimble and Kylie Michael share a hug after the conclusion of their third set against the Hornets and with the realization that in 24 hours SJO will be playing for the program's first-ever volleyball state championship title on Saturday. For a limited time only, see more than 100 photos from this match and the championship game later this week at PhotoNews RAW Collection. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
St. Joseph-Ogden's Bree Trimble pops up a dig in their regular season home volleyball match against Maroa-Forsyth. The Trojans fell in two sets 25-18 and 25-14 to the Spartans on September 25, 2018. (PhotoNews Media/Photo by Clark Brooks)
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Volleyball milestone reached, SJO's McDonald reaches the 400th match win
Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program ...
(St. Joseph) - With bragging rights and a conference loss on the line, Unity's road match in the St. Joseph-Ogden High School Main Gym had all ambiance and weight of a state semifinal match. There were two vocal student cheering sections, almost 300 fans, and two teams both loaded with athletic talent ready to clash. In the end, the Rockets broke a five-season losing streak, systematically defeating the Spartans, 2-0.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Maddie Reed sets the ball behind her during the second set action against the Spartans. Reed collected 19 assists and seven digs for the Rockets. Tucking away their second conference win of the season, Unity improved to 14-0 with the win over SJO.
Trading salvos in the first set, SJO (10-4) and the Rockets (14-0) held the scoring deficit at any given time to just points until the score reached 11-all. Suddenly, there was a shift in the offensive momentum that had Unity surged ahead on the scoreboard courtesy of a five-point run to go up 16-11 over the St. Joseph-Ogden. Unable to hold serve or shift the flow of the game in their favor thanks to their opponents' scrappy defensive play, the Spartans were outscored 9-2 from that point on en route to a 25-13 finish.
"We struggled on defense. They did a nice job mixing up their offense, keeping us on our heels all night long," said SJO head coach Abby McDonald. "We were never in system from the beginning. Our defense wasn't there tonight. Defense wins ball games and it was a real struggle for us."
While SJO struggled on defense, the Rockets excelled at it on Tuesday evening.
"We changed up our defense to defend against their outsides better," explained Unity's new head coach, Erika Yerry. "We know they have some pretty good hitters on the outside so we focused on blocking line and moving our defenders behind it so we could dig a few more balls and be in system."
The second set started much like the first with teams trading points until the score was tied at 7-all. The Spartans quickly added two more points forcing Yerry to call a timeout at 10-7. Soon, down by five, the Rockets started to methodically claw their way back into the set.
Yerry credited her team's success to playing tough defensively and serving tough.
"Our main goal was to get them out of system. So as long as we kept digging and serving them to be out of system then we had a chance to score a point," Yerry said. "My libero, Taylor Henry, did a good job of adjusting her defensive position and Katie Moore did a great job of block (the) line."
Down 21-19, Unity closed out the second set with six consecutive points for the 25-21 victory.
"We've got to clean up our serve receive. Our first ball contact was difficult for us tonight," McDonald pointed out. "Our setter was working as hard as she could. We just struggled in lots of areas of the game. I think the biggest part is just or mental game right now has to be stronger."
While it may have been a tough loss to swallow against their cross-county rivals, the Spartans were in a similar position with four losses at the end of September in 2019. The program did not lose another match until the state semifinal, setting up a Class 2A third-place finish.
"We've got to have leadership when we need it and not just when things are going good. It's got to be there when things are rough. These are all learning moments for us," McDonald said looking at the competition that still lies ahead. "Hopefully we can use this to make us better. We always say 'What comes in October'. Hopefully, this match is one they can look back on and learned something from."
Lacey Kaiser dives for a dig in St. Joseph-Ogden's third-place match against Rockford Lutheran at the IHSA Volleyball State Finals on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Kaiser and the Spartans defeated the Lady Crusaders 2-1 to finish in third place in the Class 2A state tournament at Redbird Arena. (PhotoNews Media/Photo by Clark Brooks)
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Members of the St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball program pose for a group photo with head coach Abby McDonald after her 400th win on Monday. The milestone came came after the Spartans defeated Hoopeston Area at home in two sets, 25-13, 25-22. Under McDonald's leadership the program ...
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The Spartans jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set before Monticello used a timeout to regroup. Five points later, with the Sages looking at a ten-point deficit at 13-3, Monticello head coach Kim Allison called for another break.
Ranked 27th in Class 2A and 102 in the state by MaxPreps, SJO's defensive effort allowed just four more points in the 25-7 first set finish.
However, the start of the second set was not as pretty as the first set for the St. Joseph-0gden team coming off a 2-0 loss to Tri-Valley on Monday. Down 4-0 and plagued by inconsistent play, McDonald called timeout to allow her team to regroup.
When the set resumed, the Spartans carefully worked their way back into the game despite a streak of tenacious play from the Sages. The two teams would tie eight times, the last at 24-all. Two exchanges later, SJO prevailed 26-24 to win the match.
"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Some nights we're on. Some nights we've been off finding that leadership role, that determination to be able to finish and play consistent," said head coach Abby McDonald. "We hope that we are learning from these opportunities we've been given."
Roesch led the Spartan offensive effort with seven kills and two aces. Burnett added another four kills to the mix and led the team serving effort with five aces. Immke, with three aces, notched three kills and led the defense with 11 digs.
"I thought when the pressure was on they kept their composure," McDonald said. "That's something they have done well throughout the season. They don't get rattled. It was good for them to be able to finish in a tight set like that."
Despite a tough 25-14, 25-15, non-conference loss to the Vikings of Tri-Valley a little more than 24 hours earlier, McDonald was happy with how her team performed.
"We had a rough night last night," she added. "To be able to bounce back without practice and without time to really discuss some of the things we need to fix, I thought they did a nice job of finishing."
Becca Steinbach had 15 assists and was credited with three digs. Hannah Fox also delivered nine digs in the win.
"I am proud of the kids. There were a lot of distractions tonight and a lot of different emotions in this building," Abby McDonald said, referring to the Dick Duval scholarship fundraiser the team was also heavily involved in. An early estimate of $14,000 had been raised for the memorial scholarship to honor the former SJO educator and football coach. "I thought they handled themselves well, considering everything that was going on."
The SJO volleyball team plays again this week on Thursday against Salt Fork.
