Despite losing key players such as Keira Kleidon, Grace Nelson, and Kinsey Smith to graduation, Oak Park and River Forest High School girls volleyball coach Kelly Collins feels confident heading into this season.
“We’re not considering this a rebuild by any means,” said Collins, in her ninth season. “We’re reloading. Although we did lose people, we have plenty of people ready to step up and showcase how much skill they have.”
OPRF is off to a 4-3 start this fall and put forth a good showing at one of the Chicago area’s top early-season invitationals, the Mizuno Crimson Classic, hosted by Plainfield North last week.
On Aug. 30, the Huskies won their pool, defeating Plainfield East 25-21, 25-11 and St. Ignatius 21-25, 25-10, 15-7.
On Aug. 31, OPRF knocked off Normal U-High 25-19, 12-25, 15-11 in the Gold Bracket quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the Huskies fell to Loyola Academy 8-25, 19-25, and also dropped the third-place match 11-25, 16-25 to Marist, finishing fourth in the bracket and fourth overall in the 32-team tournament.
OPRF junior outside hitter Samantha Shelton and senior outside hitter Tewa Woodson (North Carolina-Charlotte commit) made the All-Tournament team. They’re two of five varsity returners, along with three seniors: setter Hannah Phelan, middle blocker Gaby Towns, and rightside hitter Phoebe Shorney (Claremont McKenna College commit).
Newcomers to keep an eye on are sophomore Devyn Kleidon (Keira’s younger sister), senior defensive specialist Gia Jakovljevic and senior middle blocker Scarlett Simkowski.
“I think it’s been going pretty well,” Woodson said. “We’ve been working hard in the gym.”
Schedule highlights for OPRF are the Effingham Invite, Sept. 13-14, the Skyhawk Invite in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct. 12, and the Glenbard East AutumnFest, Oct. 18-19. The Huskies also have home non-conference matches with Riverside-Brookfield, St. Ignatius, and Whitney Young, along with a match against East Avenue rival Fenwick.
“Building strong on-court chemistry will be essential,” Collins said. “The sooner we can establish this, the better positioned we’ll be to compete at a high level.”
Fenwick
With another relatively young lineup, second-year Fenwick coach Tee Pimsarn already has seen significant progress.
Sophomores Bella Gray and Jordan Rossi and juniors Marcelina Kozaczka and Lilly Boyle lead nine varsity returnees for the Friars, who were 7-23 overall last season and 2-6 in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference. The Friars lost to St. Ignatius 25-16, 25-17 7-25 in the 3A Fenwick Regional final.
“Year two is becoming a lot more of an easy transition,” Pimsarn said. “Last year we focused a lot on training because we needed to but now we’re at a point where we need to play.”
The 5-foot-11 Gray was a key outside hitter in 2023 and is progressing on her full-rotation game.
Fenwick junior Marcelina Kozaczka (#8) sets up her teammate for a kill during a girls’ volleyball match against Cristo Rey Jesuit, August 28. The Friars won in two sets. | Carol Dunning 
Fenwick sophomore middle hitter Jordan Rossi (#44) goes up for a kill during a volleyball match against Cristo Rey Jesuit, August 28. The Friars were victorious 25-10, 25-4. | Carol Dunning 
Fenwick junior libero Sophia Leonardi bumps the ball during a volleyball match against Cristo Rey Jesuit, August 28. The Friars won in two sets. | Carol Dunning
The 5-10 Kozaczka’s importance will grow as a hitter and possibly also as a setter.
How much more the 6-2 Boyle and 6-0 Rossi can contribute offensively as middles after great club seasons will be another key to success.
Senior setter Ava D’Alessandro moves into a starting role after primarily being last season’s JV setter. Other varsity returnees are senior pins Kate Williams and Julia Schumm and senior defensive specialists Mollie Meehan and Callista Wicklander.
Junior Sophia Leonardi is hoped to solidify the libero position. Other newcomers are juniors Kennedy Gonsalves, Emma Kure, Grace Quiroga, Lily Sampey and sophomore Sofia Grossman, who is unable to play after transferring but contributing to the team.
“Something we’ve been working on with our attackers is attacking with purpose, range and our passers and serve receive, doing the work they need to,” Pimsarn said. “We’re asking them to trust the process and we’ll get there.”
The Friars (3-2) won their season and home opener over Cristo Rey Jesuit 25-10, 25-4, Aug. 28 and finished 2-2 at the Rolling Meadows Invite Saturday, beating Glenbard South and Reavis.