Head Coach: Chris Boylan email

April 23, 2012
view older news
On Monday, the Lions faced a non-conference opponent in Gordon Tech. Coming into the match, the team was on a 5-match winning streak and was looking to build off that momentum.  In Game 1, the two teams battled back and forth. Freshman Ryan Schiller had a block and an overpass kill to spark the Lions and finish with a 25-15 win. Game 2 started the same way, tied up to 12-12 until junior Brennan Harrington had back-to-back aces and the team never looked back, ending the match 25-17.

Saint Viator was led on offense by senior Tom Aichele (9 Kills, 1 Block) and senior Matt Michalik (6 Kills, 5 Digs). Junior Brennan Harrington was 45/46 setting, with 22 assists; Senior Brian Stewart had 6 digs.

March 30, 2011
Week 1 – Matches on 3/29, and 3/30

Saint Viator @ Wheeling – Loss 25-22, 23-25, 18-25
Saint Viator @ Barrington – Loss 16-25, 16-25

Record: 0-2 (0-0 ESCC)

The 2011 season is upon us, and week one is always tough. New teammates, spring break, and first match jitters all played a part in the loss at Wheeling on March 29. The Lions started out very strong with a great game one win and had a lead of 22-17 in game two only to see Wheeling go on a 8-1 run to finish off the Lions. Game three went back and forth, but at 14-14, Wheeling scored the next six and Saint Viator could not recover.

On March 30, the Lions travelled to Barrington, a team ranked in the Top 10 in Illinois. In a great atmosphere and gym facility, the Lions battled to a 12-11 lead in game one. However, they ran out of steam as Barrington pulled away to win 25-16. In game two, it was much of the same. The Lions were down 16-13 until Barrington had five service points in a row and finished the game 25-16.

In the two matches this week, the Lions were led on offense by seniors Jon Mayyou (13 Kills, three aces) and David Kingsley (10 Kills, one ace). Senior Patrick Ryan was 117/126, setting with 30 assists and junior Brian Stewart had 17 digs.

April 7, 2010
Saint Viator vs. Elk Grove

Loss 21-25, 22-25
Record: 0-3 (0-0 ESCC)

Finally with a roster at full strength, the Lions put in a hard few days of practice before a non conference match against Elk Grove. With new comer Richard McLoughlin joining the team, there has been a gain of confidence within the group and it is showing on and off the court. Viator started strong in front of a large crowd with a 4-0 lead but a lack of communication on serve receive had Elk Grove up 5-4 quickly. Down 14-20, the Lions battled back to tie the game at 20-20 with a diving dig by Senior Eric Schulget and a kill by Senior Richard McLoughlin. After a time out by EG, they finished out the game 25-21. Game 2 started again in favor for the Lions. A quick 6-3 lead grew to 16-11 on a solo block by Junior Kevin Pleli. However, momentum switched and Elk Grove went on an 11-4 run to take the lead and eventually close out the match 22-25. Despite the 2 game loss to Elk Grove, the Lions intensity has picked up from the first two matches and the offense is playing well. A few lapses on serve receive and blocking cost the Lions their first win of the season. Viator will have a chance at revenge vs Elk Grove Friday night at the Rolling Meadows tournament

The Lions were led on offense by Senior Richard McLoughlin (4 Kills, 2 Aces) Juniors, Jon Mayyou (5 Kills) and David Kingsley (4 Kills, 1 Ace). Junior Patrick Ryan was 44/45 setting with 15 Assists and Senior Eric Schulget played his best defensive match with 11 digs and 1 Ace.

Congrats to Coach Falknor and the sophomores on their first win of the season vs Elk Grove in exciting fashion: 21-25, 25-23, 26-24

March 30, 2010
Saint Viator vs. Wheeling

Loss 21-25, 25-22, 17-25
Record: 0-1 (0-0 ESCC)

During a two week spring break, the Lions started their 2010 season with a home match against Wheeling. With 7 new starters for the 2010 season, there were a few nervous players on the court in the first game. A back and forth game the entire way, but tied at 21-21, Wheeling rallied and scored the final 4 points. With the first game jitters behind them, the Lions won game 2 sparked by the play of senior libero Eric Schulget. In the deciding 3rd game, a timeout with the Lions down 4-10, helped settle the team and the Wheeling lead was then cut to 1 at 15-16. However, Wheeling found some energy and finished out the game and match 25-17.

The Lions were led on offense by Juniors David Kingsley (10 Kills, 3 Aces), Jon Mayyou (6 Kills, 3 Aces) and Kevin Pleli (5 Kills, 1 Ace). Junior Patrick Ryan was 62/66 setting with 20 Assists and Senior Eric Schulget played great defense leading the team with 10 digs.

March 24, 2010
#18 Saint Viator vs #15 Lakes

After concluding two hard fought matches last week versus Hoffman and Nazareth, both ending in defeat, the Lions went back to practice to get ready for a new season, the IHSA Playoffs. The team knew they were starting with a clean slate and could right everything that went wrong the past three months with a solid match against Lakes (lost 23-25, 26-27 on May 1st).

With another transport issue, the Lions showed up at game time but were ready to play as junior Kevin Pleli started with three service points. However, a few hitting mistakes had the game tied at 5-5. Before you could grab your seat, the Lions were down 15-10 in Game 1. A big kill by senior Richard McLoughlin got the Lions back in the match and a solo block by junior David Kingsley gave the Lions the lead at 18-17, and the Lions never looked back winning 25-22.

Game 2 started slow, as two hitting mistakes and some miscommunication lead to a Lakes 8-4 lead. However, junior Patrick Ryan reeled off 5 points in a row, McLoughlin had three straight kills, and junior Jon Mayyou solidified the offense with some crafty hitting. The play that sparked an 8-0 run for the Lions was the defense by senior Eric Schulget who came up with 2 diving plays and another solid dig on one play that ignited the team and the fans. The Lions then finished out the match 25-19.

The Lions were led on offense by McLoughlin (11 Kills) and Mayyou (8 Kills). Ryan was 46/48 setting with 24 Assists and Schulget came up big with 15 digs.

Next up for Saint Viator is the #2 seeded Mundelein @ 6:30 p.m. today at Warren High School (on Almond Road)

Tuesday May 26th, 2009
IHSA Regional Semi-Final
(19) Saint Viator vs (3) Stevenson

Loss 18-25, 12-25

After a hard fought win Monday versus Carmel, the Lions were preparing to face 3rd seeded Stevenson on their home floor. The mood was upbeat and loose in pre-game practice along with a fun filled van ride to Lincolnshire. That attitude transferred into the first game of the Regional Semi-Final match for the Lions.

Game 1 started off as best it could for Saint Viator. Freshman Mike Leazer came up with a huge solo block kill and silenced the Patriot crowd. The Lions jumped out to an early 5-2 lead. Stevenson however is a very experience and well balanced team and played strong the entire way thru. With the game tied at 16-16, the Patriots were too much to handle for the Lions as they took a commanding 22-17 lead and finished off Game 1 25-18.

After a promising game 1 for the Lions, game 2 did not start well as they dug themselves in a 7-2 deficit. A kill by Senior Lucas Underys and an Ace by Leazer put the Lions back within striking distance but the Patriots were too much the Lions and pulled away to a 17-7 lead. An ace by Senior Mike Czopek gave the Lions some hope late however the defense struggled with Stevenson’s quick offense and the Patriots prevailed 25-12 in game 2.

The Lions offense was led by senior Mike Czopek (20/22 7 Kills) and senior Lucas Underys (11/12 7 Kills). Senior Greg Turk distributed 14 assists on 48/49 setting. Mike Leazer was 8/8 serving with 1 Ace while Mike Rast was 4/4 with 1 Ace. Tyler Anderson had 7 digs while Greg Turk added 8.

The Lions finished 2009 with an 11-22 record.

Congratulations to the following student-athletes on setting Saint Viator records:
Season Records
Digs – Tyler Anderson – 275
Serving % - Greg Turk – 97.7% (256-262)

Career Records
Serving % - Greg Turk – 97.4% (298-306)

Tuesday May 26th, 2009
IHSA Regional Semi-Final
(19) Saint Viator vs (3) Stevenson

Loss 18-25, 12-25

After a hard fought win Monday versus Carmel, the Lions were preparing to face 3rd seeded Stevenson on their home floor. The mood was upbeat and loose in pre-game practice along with a fun filled van ride to Lincolnshire. That attitude transferred into the first game of the Regional Semi-Final match for the Lions.

Game 1 started off as best it could for Saint Viator. Freshman Mike Leazer came up with a huge solo block kill and silenced the Patriot crowd. The Lions jumped out to an early 5-2 lead. Stevenson however is a very experience and well balanced team and played strong the entire way thru. With the game tied at 16-16, the Patriots were too much to handle for the Lions as they took a commanding 22-17 lead and finished off Game 1 25-18.

After a promising game 1 for the Lions, game 2 did not start well as they dug themselves in a 7-2 deficit. A kill by Senior Lucas Underys and an Ace by Leazer put the Lions back within striking distance but the Patriots were too much the Lions and pulled away to a 17-7 lead. An ace by Senior Mike Czopek gave the Lions some hope late however the defense struggled with Stevenson’s quick offense and the Patriots prevailed 25-12 in game 2.

The Lions offense was led by senior Mike Czopek (20/22 7 Kills) and senior Lucas Underys (11/12 7 Kills). Senior Greg Turk distributed 14 assists on 48/49 setting. Mike Leazer was 8/8 serving with 1 Ace while Mike Rast was 4/4 with 1 Ace. Tyler Anderson had 7 digs while Greg Turk added 8.

The Lions finished 2009 with an 11-22 record.

Congratulations to the following student-athletes on setting Saint Viator records:
Season Records
Digs – Tyler Anderson – 275
Serving % - Greg Turk – 97.7% (256-262)

Career Records
Serving % - Greg Turk – 97.4% (298-306)

Monday May 25th 2009
IHSA Regional
(19) Saint Viator vs (15) Carmel

Win – 25-23, 31-29

The last match the Lions played versus Notre Dame didn’t sit well with Seniors Greg Turk and Mike Czopek. “When we play as a team, we play very well. When there is arguing and blaming others, we fall apart” says Turk. A player only team meeting was held and the concept of TEAM was the main focus, so far so good for the Lions. Going into Monday’s game vs ESCC foe Carmel, the Lions seemed very confident and excited about the opportunity for a rematch versus the Corsairs.

Memorial Day is not always an ideal day for an opening round IHSA match but a walk thru practice prior to the match was upbeat and focused. With a decent crowd on hand, the Lions started fast with a huge block kill by Lucas Underys and Greg Turk. That set the tone as the Lions jumped ahead to a 7-4 lead. As expected, Carmel didn’t give and battled back to tie the game at 15-15. Then the Lions, led by serving by Tyler Anderson, pulled away to a 24-19 lead and finished off game 1 25-23.

Greg Turk started out the second game serving to a 4-1 lead but again, Carmel made a big run and took the lead at the 10-8. The game went back and forth with great rallies, huge digs, and big kills up to 23-23. The next 10 minutes was the most exciting of the Lions season. With 4 match points for the Lions, 3 game points for the Corsairs and a timely yellow card, the Lions finished the match 31-29. This was the first playoff win for Saint Viator since the 2005 season.

The Lions offense was led by senior Mike Czopek (17/23 7 Kills), senior Lucas Underys (11/12 5 Kills), and freshman Mike Leazer (13/17 4 Kills). Senior Greg Turk distributed 18 assists on 58/60 setting. The best serving game of the year was led by Turk (13/14 3 Aces), Tyler Anderson (8/8 2 Aces), Mike Czopek (7/8 2 Aces), and Senior Danny Kinasz (8/8 2 Aces). Tyler Anderson also led the Lions with 13 digs. Tyler also passed 2005 graduate Tim Brinkman with the season record in digs. He now has 268 and counting.

Next up for the Lions @ Stevenson vs (3) Stevenson on Tuesday May 26th  in the Regional Semi-Final.

Saturday May 16th 2009
Vernon Hills Invite

Pool Play
Vernon Hills – Loss – 15-25, 25-27
Plainfield East – Win – 25-16, 25-12
Glenbard West – Loss – 16-25, 9-25

Consolation Semifinal
Amundsen – Win – 25-18, 25-12

Consolation Championship (5th Place)
Hinsdale South – Win – 25-27, 25-22, 26-24

Every year, we prepare for this tournament to be a struggle as Senior Prom is the Friday before hand. This year, 6 seniors returned from the Prom at 5AM only to meet at Viator at 7AM for the van ride to Vernon Hills. Many tired faces, not sure if they would be ready to play. A few sleeping on the bench or in the corner only minutes prior to our first match. But this year, the Lions came out ready to play. A tough loss to one of the hottest teams in the state Vernon Hills gave the Lions confidence the rest of the day. With a win over Plainfield East, the match up with Glenbard West was the deciding factor in pool play. GBW was just too big and too aggressive for the Lions as they took 1st overall in the pool, leaving Saint Viator 3rd and in the consolation bracket.  After lunch, a slow start against Amundsen quickly turned into a rout and into the Consolation Championship. Against Hinsdale South, it was a battle from start to end. The Lions lost a 24-22 lead in Game 1 but bounced back and won Game 2 and 3 to take the match. The tournament is a great start as they look forward to the playoffs.

Next up for the Lions @ Hoffman Estates on Monday May 18th.

Monday May 11th 2009
Saint Viator vs South Elgin
Win – 25-21, 26-24

The 2009 Lions Volleyball team has 7 seniors. Monday night they were recognized for their careers as a student athletes. They also came out and picked up a victory versus visiting South Elgin Storm. The Lions jumped out fast to a 12-4 lead off of 5 serving points from freshman Mike Leazer.  Seniors Greg Turk and Lucas Underys closed out the game with a huge block, 25-21. In Game 2, junior Matt Rochetti stepped up with some big kills and a nice solo block. Seniors Mike Czopek and Matt Ryan finished off the Storm with great serving, 26-24.

The Lions offense was led by senior Mike Czopek (19/20 7 Kills), senior Lucas Underys (12/13 6 Kills), senior Stan Sroka (5 Kills) and junior Matt Rochetti (10/11 7 Kills). Senior Greg Turk was spectacular distributing the ball going 68/69 setting with 29 assists. Senior Danny Kinasz was 10/11 serving and senior Tyler Anderson had 7 digs.

Next up for the Lions @ Saint Patrick on Tuesday May 12th.

Thursday May 7th 2009
Saint Viator @ #5 Marist
Loss – 14-25, 10-25

Thursday night in Chicago, Marist showed why they are ranked #5 in the state. Playing almost error free volleyball, the Redhawks were able to limit the Lions offensive opportunities by serving tough and controlling the net. The Lions were able to stay close early, only down 8-5 in the first game but Marist Senior Phil Bona ran off 8 straight points at the service line and the Lions were left losing 14-25. The second game started in favor of the Lions, trailing 7-6 at one point but again, Marist’s experience took over and they pulled away for an easy 25-10 game winner.

Sophomore – Loss 11-25, 19-25
Freshman – Loss 11-25, 23-35

Next up for the Lions is South Elgin at home on Monday May 11th. Prior to the 6PM match, Saint Viator will honor the seniors for their hard work and dedication the past 4 years. 

Tuesday May 5th 2009
Saint Viator vs. Benet
Loss – 24-26, 19-25

Coming off of a good victory Monday night, the Lions were ready to host Benet Academy. The first game was a typical ESCC slugfest. Back and forth all the way to 23-23 but 2 costly errors by Viator gave Benet Game 1 26-24. Knowing they belonged on the same floor as Benet, the Lions jumped out to a 7-1 lead. That evaporated quickly and the game was tied 11-11. Senior Greg Turk stepped in and regrouped the team scoring the next 4 points forcing Benet to call timeout. However, that timeout seemed to refocus Benet and they played flawless the rest of the way taking Game 2 25-19 and the match.

Senior Lucas Underys led the Lions with 7 Kills. Senior Mike Czopek and Freshman Mike Leazer had 4 Kills each. Senior Greg Turk continued his consistent setting going 58/60 with 17 Assists. Mike Leazer and Senior Tyler Anderson added 7 and 6 digs respectively.

Next up for the Lions is at state ranked Marist (#5) on Thursday May 7th.

Monday May 4th 2009
Saint Viator vs. Fenwick

The Lions came off of a good weekend tournament with a lot of energy and excitement for their home match versus Fenwick High School. After a quick start in Game 1, the Lions led 23-20 but failed to finish losing a close one 23-25. Unhappy with that outcome, freshman Mike Leazer went on an 8 point serving run with 2 aces to help Viator to a 25-18 Game 2 victory. The great serving continued in Game 3. Seniors Greg Turk and Danny Kinasz (11/12 and 12/13 2 aces respectively) found the right target and helped the Lions to a 25-18 final.

The Lions were led on offense by Seniors Lucas Underys (7 Kills) and Mike Czopek (6 Kills), while Freshman Mike Leazer add 6 Kills of his own. Senior Greg Turk was 97/99 setting with 26 Assists and Senior Tyler Anderson played great defense with 14 digs.