If senior middle hitter Leila Taylor seems like she’s playing lights out during the early portion of this season for Lincoln-Way East, there’s a reason for that.
The 5-foot-11 Taylor did some intense offseason training with the Chicago-based Lights Out Volleyball organization. And it has paid dividends for her.
“I’ve been training hard and with lifting and conditioning,” she said. “I’ve always done that but increased it this year. At Lights Out, I also played against a higher level of talent.
“That’s helped me this year.”
Lincoln-Way East, the defending SouthWest Suburban Conference champion, continued its strong start by taking third place over the weekend at the stacked 32-team Mizuno Crimson Classic.
The Griffins (5-2) have been impressive so far playing without Eastern Michigan recruit Klarke Mosby, who underwent knee surgery. Having an improved Taylor in the middle should help.
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“Last year, she started as a junior and she has grown a lot,” Lincoln-Way East coach Sean Burns said of Taylor. “She can really terminate balls and block. She’s doing good things in the middle.
“That frees up the outsides, and that’s good for us.”
Kolby Ross, a junior outside hitter committed to Illinois, likes what she has seen from Taylor.
“She brings a lot of energy and firepower,” Ross said of Taylor. “She’s the type of person who even if she is tired is going to do well. And if she’s not playing her best game, she’s going to hype everybody up. She a fun person and great to be around.”
Taylor grew up in Chicago and was in the Horizon Science school system, but her family moved to the south suburbs and her interest in volleyball ratcheted up before reaching Lincoln-Way East.
“I knew that volleyball was what I wanted to do,” Taylor said. “In grade school, I wasn’t on very good teams. My sister (Liyah) and I were the best players on the team.
“We would pass to each other and set to each other and try to do everything.”
Taylor was actually hoping to be varsity teammates this fall with Liyah but that won’t happen. Liyah, a junior middle hitter for the Griffins, also suffered a season-ending injury in the summer.
Milestones for Vales
Sandburg coach David Vales earned a pair of milestone wins over the weekend.
He picked up his 900th overall win – for both boys and girls – with a 25-21, 25-21 victory Friday night over Hinsdale Central in pool play at the Mizuno Crimson Classic.
Then on Saturday, Vales won his 500th match as a girls coach with a 25-15, 19-25, 15-9 win in the Silver Division over Wheaton Warrenville South.
That victory over the Tigers was notable because it came against Bill Schreier, who has totaled more than 1,000 wins coaching both the boys and girls teams at Wheaton Warrenville South.
“He has a ton of wins,” Vales said of Schreier. “In that crazy 2021 season, the girls and boys teams played the same day and I coached against him twice. I’ve coached against him a lot over the years. To get No. 500 against him is pretty special.”
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Marist newcomers thrown into fire
Two-time defending Class 4A state champion Marist returns a ton of talent but also had a few holes to fill in the starting lineup because of graduation.
Junior middle hitter Sommer Shaw, senior middle Kate Steinmetz and senior defensive specialist Ariella Link received some quality playing time the RedHawks (6-0) in the first week of the season.
“Some of these girls are brand new and filling in well,” Marist coach Jordan Vidovic said. “It’s not easy for them. The offense is clicking and the players are being more assertive.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.