St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball rebounds in Illini Prairie Conference match

By Fred Kroner

Payton Vallee swatted a team-high 11 kills on Monday (March 22), but St. Joseph-Ogden suffered a two-set volleyball loss at Champaign Central, 25-21, 25-15.

Becca Steinbach handed out 14 assists. Hannah Fox had 13 digs and Kennedi Burnett chipped in with four kills and seven digs. Vallee had six digs.

SJ-O returned to its winning ways at home on Tuesday (March 23), sweeping Monticello 25-14, 25-17 in an Illini Prairie Conference match.

Shayne Immke and Vallee were the offensive leaders with five kills apiece. Burnett and Ashley Eldridge each landed four kills.

Steinbach set the pace with 16 assists.

Vallee contributed a team-high 10 digs, followed by Steinbach (eight digs), Fox (seven digs), Burnett (five digs), Immke  (three digs) and Emily Fisher (three digs).

Fox and Vallee each served two aces.

On Wednesday (March 24), the Spartans upended visiting Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 25-14, 25-23, without Burnett, who is injured.

In the latest Class 2A Maxpreps state rankings, PBL was ranked second and SJ-O third.

Vallee totaled 11 kills and nine digs. Addie Roesch contributed eight kills and three digs. Immke had seven kills and two digs.

Steinbach posted a 14-assist, six-dig performance. Rachel Divan added one kill and one block.

The Spartans (7-1) return to action on Thursday (March 25) at St. Thomas More.