Girls volleyball: Local teams struggle to break through at Wheaton Classic
The 2026 Wheaton Classic girls volleyball tournament turned into a land of missed opportunities for several teams.
In particular, the local teams fell victim to outstanding powerhouse programs from outside the region. Lyons Twp. (15-1) rolled to the Gold Bracket title by beating Lincoln-Way East 25-18, 25-18 to cap off a dominating weekend. Loyola finished in third place after beating Minooka in two sets in the third-place match, and Benet downed Yorkville in three sets for fifth place.
The Lions had three all-tournament players in sophomore right-side Olivia Pora, senior outside hitter Taylor Carroll and defensive specialist Julia Ahrens. Carroll, an Xavier recruit, was named the tournament MVP.
“I think we played incredibly and truly did not leave a doubt that we deserved to win the tournament, especially winning matches in two sets,” Lyons coach Jillian Bober said. “We played really well. Taylor played incredible, just her speed and the tempo in which she hits the ball was very good. Colleen Chambers’ location and tempo really allowed to do well against very good competition.”
Bober said the Wheaton tournament gave her a glimpse of her team.
“We have the potential of doing some damage in the postseason, but we have a very tough sectional,” Bober said. “I’m very encouraged by our competitiveness and attitude and love of the game and think we can push through it.”
In the seventh-place Gold Bracket match, Geneva posted a two-set win over Neuqua Valley. The Vikings (12-9) had a strong performance by junior outside hitter Emma Peterson. The Dayton recruit served up two aces at the end of the second set to help secure the win.
“Coming into this weekend, we knew it would be tough with the draw we had but we played competitive,” Geneva coach Lauren Kosecki said. “We played tough against a lot of these teams and finished strong. I was proud that we made some progress.
“Emma is our player and our leader and brings us a spark of energy. She did a really nice job of staying consistent, which is really nice to see. She gave her all in each match. I thought my setter, Ally Stevenson, did a nice job. I was able to get a lot of kids in who haven’t seen a lot of playing time, so that was nice to do that as well.”
The 6-foot Peterson said it was productive weekend for Neuqua Valley.
“I feel like we definitely competed this weekend,” Peterson said. “I feel I’ve gained a lot of confidence and Ally does a great job of setting me the ball where I want it and for me to be successful.”
Peterson was a dominant force in the tournament, showcasing her all-around versatility and next-level potential.
“I think this year having more experience has helped me,” Peterson said.
The Wildcats (12-12) fell short of claiming seventh place, but junior setter Tatum Kelly, an Illinois recruit, had a solid showing in the tourney.
“We had a very good night on Wednesday against Sandburg and Marist JV and played great, but today just wasn’t our day,” Neuqua Valley coach Jamie Buhnerkemper said. “We haven’t had a complete lineup since the beginning of the year. We had a lot of players missing for a lot of reasons, but we’re battling against some very good teams even though we are not 100%. I think the future is good for us. We will get a few kids back.
“Tatum leads our team and played very good. Alex Durkin, our other outside, played really well this weekend and just came off a foot injury. Those two really stepped up for us.”