Lincoln-Way East junior libero Lexi Byas is an excellent student.
She’s a member of the National African American Recognition Program. She loves science, and in college plans to major in psychology.
Griffins coach Kris Fiore can attest that her reading ability extends well beyond the classroom.
“Lexi just has this ability to know what the other team is trying to do,” Fiore said. “She takes up a lot of space because, one, she has the athleticism and, two, she can read the other team.
“That’s a huge asset when you’re a libero that you can cover that much ground in the back row.”
Byas had it all covered Wednesday for the Griffins in a 25-13, 25-22 victory over Champaign Central in the Autumn Knights Tournament hosted by Lincoln-Way Central.
Ava Nepkin and Jada James each managed nine kills for Lincoln-Way East (25-4). Byas had a team-high eight digs, while Annie Simon added four service points and three digs.
Byas has been a hard player to miss during her two varsity seasons. With braids flying, she’s a 5-foot-2 bundle of energy. She usually leaves the court with the most floor burns.
She always leaves the court with a smile.
“Yeah, it’s mostly fun for me,” Byas said. “A lot of people say that most of the time, from my body language, you can’t tell if we’re down or up. I’m always laughing and having fun out there.
“I think a lot of my play this season is a part of maturing. I don’t have to a do as much scrambling, because with the reading, I’m already there. And last season, I was kind of quiet. This year I’m more vocal, so I’m better at communication.”
Going into the tournament, Byas had a team-leading 206 digs and 340 good serve receives.
“Being back row with her just makes me feel comfortable,” Simon said. “I know that if I can’t get to a ball, she’s always going to be there.
“She also helps with calling the ball out. You just can always count on her to find the ball, wherever it goes on the court. It’s nice having her in the back row with me.”
The steady play in serve receive has a trickle-down effect in the front row for the setters and hitters, according to senior setter Grace Poynton.
“Compared to some of the people I’ve played with, it’s just so different,” Poynton said. “Lexi is just always there. I don’t even know how to explain it.
“She just gets the ball right where I want it. It’s the perfect tempo, the perfect speed, the perfect height, all the time. It’s really nice.”
Volleyball runs in the Byas family. Lexi’s older brother, Jared, was a standout last season for the Griffins.
Also a libero, Jared was named first team all-state and the conference’s player of the year. He’s a freshman at Missouri S&T.
“He was maybe the most electric player in the state of Illinois toward the end of his senior year,” Fiore said. “He was an absolute dominant force both in the back row and the front row.”
One of his No. 1 fans was his little sister.
“Actually, I give most of the credit for what I do to my brother,” Byas said. “Watching him play during his games, I picked up a lot of tips.
“My brother is my best friend. It’s more of a role model instead of a rivalry type of thing. He basically just tells me to have fun, because once the fun is taken out of it, all that’s left is the pressure.
“When you have fun, it all flows.”