Lemont’s Jayna Huff started playing volleyball in fifth grade. She fell in love with it right away.
There was only one problem, however.
“I was a weakling,” Huff said.
Anyone who has seen the sophomore middle hitter now might have a hard time believing that.
The 5-foot-11 Huff showed off her strength Thursday night with four kills and five blocks, helping Lemont beat host Shepard 25-20, 25-12 in a South Suburban Conference crossover match in Palos Heights.
Maddie Maloney and Kaitlyn Wilson each came up with eight kills to lead Lemont (8-6, 3-0 SSC Blue). Maloney added 13 digs, while Maggie Kula managed 17 assists.
Jenna Powers paced Shepard (2-5, 1-1 SSC Red) with five kills. Kerry Wrobel had three kills and an ace.
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Huff, meanwhile, knew if she wanted to keep playing volleyball she had to get stronger. By seventh grade, she began to develop the strength that she needed to be an impact player.
She did some private training as well as training with her club team.
“I definitely improved my strength working at the gym,” Huff said. “In seventh grade, I played varsity for my middle school and got to play more competitive girls, and that allowed me to progress and swing really hard.”
That work has continued.
Former Stagg coach Peggy Clemens took over Lemont’s program this season. It didn’t take her long to notice Huff during her first few days.
“The first time I saw her, I was impressed with her power and her strength,” Clemens said of Huff. “Then I noticed her accuracy. She keeps the ball in play.”
Huff entered the Shepard match with a .453 hitting percentage and led the team with 14 blocks.
“She’s just a go-getter and has been the engine of the team,” Clemens said of Huff. “She’s always working hard and just has a great attitude. She’s a great teammate and wants to do well.
“She has a fun spirit but is also a competitor at the end of the day.”
Her teammates have enjoyed watching Huff thrive on the varsity. She’s fit in well on a team with so many options as three hitters had 39 or more kills this season entering Thursday.
“Jayna is great,” Maloney said. “She’s always ready to come in and just put the ball away, especially when we are in a run. She always has energy and is never down.
“She’s ready to come in and put it away.”
When Maloney heard Huff calling herself a “weakling,” she forced out a little laugh.
“I feel like she’s always been strong and has always been amazing,” Maloney said. “But she has improved this year.”
Lemont was able to recover from Wednesday’s 25-17, 25-14 loss at home to Lincoln-Way West by putting forth a solid all-around effort against the Astros.
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“You just wipe it away,” Huff said of the loss. “We like to say you need mind like a goldfish. They don’t remember anything. We just shook it off. So what. We had a bad day. Whatever.”
“We just started fresh,” Maloney said. “We just got back into the game.”
Lemont had a special guest watching the match as Chris Zogata, who guided the program from 2001 through 2025 and won more than 600 matches, was on hand to see her former players for the first time since her retirement.
Huff called it “awesome” to be able to secure a victory in front of Zogata.
Huff described volleyball as her life. She tried softball but felt it wasn’t for her, so now it’s all volleyball all the time.
“I love playing with the girls and making connections,” she said. “I love the competitiveness.
“It’s always been my passion.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.