By Stephen Devine ‘25
On Saturday, April 5, the Brother Rice volleyball team won the Barrington/Vernon Hills High School Volleyball Tournament. The team battled through four games against Glenbrook North, Fremd, South Elgin, and Sandburg High School. However, the team came across various challenges along the way.
“This tournament was really enjoyable. Even though some of our strong players were out, we really did have a fun time and ended up taking home the first place title,” said senior Matt Phelan.
With players out due to sickness, other players had to step up and take the role of a leader. Juniors Oliver McNichols and Colin Nye had a great weekend. McNichols had dozens of assists and Nye had countless kills. It was great to see these two in action.
McNichols said, “It was a great feeling knowing that I did my part well. Sometimes it is hard to jump right into the game, but each player from the team supported me. We all have a really strong connection.”
The final game on Saturday, April 5, was a close one. The back-and-forth battle between the Crusaders and Sandburg was engaging and entertaining. The Crusaders beat Sandburg earlier in the season in two sets; however, this game went to three sets.
The Crusaders lost set one with a score of 21-25. After a pep talk from Coach McGinnis and Coac Michniak, the Crusaders turned things around and won sets two and three with scores of 25-23 and 25-22, winning the tournament.
“I am very glad that we ended up winning the tournament. There were some moments where the game was challenging, but we ended up pushing through,“ said Colin Nye.
This tournament not only boosted the morale of the team, it also brought the team together and showcased new kinds of talent. The victory in the Barrington/Vernon Hills tournament was a great start of the season.
