Last year, L’Rae White wasn’t sure how to feel when she was at Marist and first found out she didn’t make the varsity girls volleyball team.
After all the tryouts were complete, the names of the players for the eventual Class 4A state champions were announced.
But White’s name wasn’t called.
“I didn’t really have a reaction until I got home and processed it,” she said. “And I was sad.”
She missed out on playing high school as a junior, but the Flossmoor resident continued to work out and played club. Now a senior outside hitter, she transferred to Chicago Christian for this year.
“I played club with Michio, but it’s not the same as playing with your high school team,” White said. “The atmosphere is different. The crowds are loud. In club, it’s just the parents in the stands.”
White gave the visiting Knights plenty to cheer about Wednesday night in a 25-17, 26-24 nonconference victory over Marian Catholic in front of a loud crowd in Chicago Heights.
Quinn Grevengoed led Chicago Christian (2-0) with seven kills and Ella Agema added four. Lily Loerop talied seven digs, followed by Kambry James with 12 assists and Sydney Harris with two solo blocks and an assist.
Chioma Nwagwu came through with five kills for Marian (0-1), including four in the second game.
White, meanwhile, finished with five aces and five digs and delivered an off-balance kill with her back to the net to help start a rally when the Knights were down 21-17 in the second game.
From there, they outscored Marian 9-3 to take the win. And that’s just one reason why Chicago Christian coach Troy Grevengoed is thrilled about having White in the lineup.
“She’s just excited to get back,” he said. “She missed last fall and Chicago Christian seemed like a good fit for her and she loves it. Every day she gets more comfortable in the gym.”
Marist’s roster last season featured some of the best players in the state and the nation, so a lot of talented players would have been on a cut list, but Grevengoed knows White can play.
“I would guess she would start in most gyms,” Grevengoed said. “If you watch her during club season, she’s the kid everyone is like, ‘Who’s that? Who’s that?’
“Even my wife (Hillary) saw her during the last club season and said, ‘Troy, who is that?’ And I said, ‘That’s L’Rae.'”
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Grevengoed believes that White has a great upside once she learns the system and gets in sync with James, a sophomore setter.
Harris had two kills during a 5-1 run that closed out the first game and a kill, block and ace during a comeback in the second game. She feels that White is fitting right in.
“She’s really good with her hitting — she’s really consistent,” Harris said. “It’s always good to have another (strong) person in the gym.”
White, who’s getting some college interest, has made a visit to North Park. She could get some more college exposure if Chicago Christian makes another deep run in the postseason.
In 2021, the Knights finished third in the state in Class 2A. The past three seasons, they made it to the supersectional but couldn’t get back to the state finals in Normal.
Even though the Knights started two juniors and three sophomores Wednesday night, White likes what she sees.
“I feel like everybody wants that,” she said of a trip to the Final Four. “They got so close these past years. We want to go get that.
“There is a lot of talent in the gym. We definitely have the willpower and we want to go get it.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.