Villalobos keeps adding to talent

It's tough to say what's more impressive about Lily Villalobos' three years in the United States.

She arrived at Wheeling High School as a sophomore after growing up in Mexico City, where she had hardly ever played volleyball or spoke English.

Now a senior at Wheeling High School, she does both quite well.

Villalobos is the Wildcats' top attacker despite missing the majority of her junior year because of tendinitis in both knees.

While her finesse hitting and blocking on the court can keep defenders on the run, Villalobos manages to keep herself quite busy off the court.

She works as a hostess four times a week at Claim Jumper. She also spends time as a tutor on weekends teaching a 19-year-old female the Spanish language.

Plus, she manages to keep her grade-point average as one of the best in her class as an "A" honor roll student.

When Villalobos arrived at Wheeling, the coaches saw her potential and suggested she try club volleyball.

"So I went to Sports Performance in Aurora," she said. "It really took a lot out of my day, though. I'd leave after school and not get back home until around midnight.

"My parents (Jaime and Lidia) really supported me. Natalie Chery (former Wildcats standout) and my brother (Jaime) would drive me. My brother suffered the worst."

But the suffering made Villalobos a valuable asset to the Wildcats' program.

She just wished she didn't have to suffer from the tendinitis problem last year.

"It was really painful," she said. "There's still some pain, but not nearly as bad as last year. It's pain that I can take."

Villalobos spent a lot of time doing exercises to help strengthen her knees.

She only wears small elastic bands around them this fall.

Last year, she wore knee and ankles braces.

The 5-foot-9 senior is not sure if she will play in college but she wants to study international business.

"My brother goes to Loyola and studies international business," Villalobos said. "I would like to go there, too."

For now, she is trying to serve as a leader for the Wildcats in her final high school season.

"My junior year was horrible," she said. "I was so excited to be able to play this season. It was so hard just sitting out and not being able to help out on the court.

"I love it this year. And I love being able to play with all my teammates who are good friends."

Wheeling coach Rita Runyard loves having Villalobos in the middle this fall.

"Lily's progress since she got here has been incredible," Runyard said. "She had the raw talent. Now she has the physical skills and the finesse."

Tough middle: Jackie Carbery stands 5-foot-7.

Hardly your average size for a middle hitter.

But Carbery is more than an average middle hitter.

She is a very good one.

"Jackie has exceptional timing," said Meadows coach Janet Opels. "That is always beneficial and she jumps very well."

Carbery, who put down 14 kills against Wheeling last week, says it's all confidence.

"I don't care who is on the other side of the net or how tall they are," she said. "Other people might get scared when they're going up against bigger people, but I know I can jump and play with anyone at any height. It doesn't faze me."

Carbery began participating in volleyball by attending Opels' sixth-grade summer volleyball camps.

"It was just so awesome playing for her," Carbery said. "She's amazing. Soccer used to be my favorite sport, but then I fell in love with volleyball and made it my main focus."