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December 5, 2011
STAS RECEIVES ALL-AMERICAN NOD
With its cupboard of achievements already chocked full, the Prairie State College volleyball team will have to make room for one more accolade.

Standout sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) was recently named to the NJCAA All-America Second Team.

Stas joins Sam Krilich (volleyball, 2009) and Jermaine Love-Roberts (men’s basketball, 2010) as PSC’s third All-American selection in school history.

The 5-foot-9 Stas played an integral role for the Pioneers in 2011, leading the program to its first Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference title, first NJCAA Region IV championship and first berth in the NJCAA National Tournament.

The Region IV title was Prairie State’s first in any sport.

“Jessi came a long way in her time here at PSC,” Prairie State head coach Kim Halbach said. “She started her career here a little unsure of herself and timid, but by the end of this season I feel she had the confidence to be our go-to hitter and handled that pressure very well.

“She made smart shots when needed and killed it when needed. She is such a special player in that she is constantly evaluating herself and wants to know what she did wrong even if it was a kill. Jessi not only stepped up as our kill leader, but she made huge strides in her passing and defense. We asked her to play all the way around this season even though she never had before, and again, although she was unsure, she stepped up and did a great job for us.”

Stas also substantially carved her name into the PSC record books.

Stas’ 714 career kills in 250 career sets now stand third on the Pioneers’ all-time list. Her 450 kills during the 2011 season are good for fourth on the single-season kills chart.

“Junior College is a strange world in that you get a student-athlete as a freshman and she is just adjusting to college-level volleyball,” Halbach said. “Then, by the end of sophomore year, she is finally figuring out what you want from her, but then she has to graduate and leave.

“That’s how I feel about Jessi. She is just starting to figure this all out, and I wish I could have her for two more years to see what else we could get out of her. I feel proud that she learned and listened and has used her talent to stand out and achieve such an honor as an All-American selection. I gush with satisfaction when anyone speaks about this season and all of our success, and now we have one more accomplishment to be proud of … having PSC volleyball’s second All-American player in three years. Jessi is a great kid, who worked hard, was dedicated, and without question deserves this.”

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November 18, 2011
VOLLEYBALL: HISTORIC SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
TOLEDO, OHIO --- Following an all-out battle against one of the nation's top programs, the Prairie State College volleyball team saw its most successful season in program history come to an end Friday morning following a four-set loss to seventh-seeded Illinois Central at the NJCAA Championships hosted by Owens Community College.

The Pioneers (27-12) fell 25-14 in Game 1 before rebounding to score a 25-23 win in the second set. Illinois Valley claimed the final two games 25-20 and 25-18.

In her last match as Pioneer, sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) led the way with 13 kills. She also posted seven digs and a pair of assists.

Freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T. F. North H.S.) added six kills and a block while sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) added five kills, nine digs and two aces.

Freshman outside hitter Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) chipped in five kills and a team-high four blocks.

Freshman settr Bridget O'Shea (Marist H.S.) added 24 assists.

The Pioneers pulled themselves back into the match in Game 2, rallying from a 16-12 deficit to take an 18-17 lead courtesy of an Olszewski block.

PSC pulled to within 16-15 in the third set following an ace from Stas, but was unable to grab a lead.

Illinois Central closed out the Pioneers' season with a 6-0 match-closing run.

During their historical 2011 campaign, the Pioneers claimed PSC its first NJCAA Region IV championship in any sport while also securing both the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference volleyball regular-season and tournament titles for the first time.

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November 17, 2011
PSC FALLS TO OAKLAND IN FIRST ROUND OF NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
TOLEDO, OHIO --- Despite a strong effort, the Prairie State College volleyball team dropped its opening round match against second-seeded Oakland (Mich.) at the NJCAA Championship, 16-25, 12-25, 19-25 Thursday morning at Owens Community College.

Even with the loss, the Pioneers (27-11) still picked up a slew of strong individual efforts.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) hammered down nine kills and picked up five digs.

Freshman setter Ashley O'Shea (Marist H.S.) also played well, handing out 20 assists while delivering an ace.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.), (8 kills, 2 blocks) and freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (19 digs) also made strong contributions.

Down two sets to none, the Pioneers staged a ferocious comeback in the third game, taking a 17-16 lead late before forcing the second-seeded Raiders into ties at 18 and 19. Unfortunately, Oakland went off on a 6-0 run to close the match.

PSC will now face seventh-seeded Illinois Central Friday at 9 a.m. (central time).

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November 11, 2011
HALBACH GARNERS POSTSEASON HONORS
In the wake of the most successful season in her program’s history, Prairie State College head volleyball coach Kim Halbach has received some well-deserved recognition.

Following PSC’s first-ever NJCAA Region IV and Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference titles in volleyball, Halbach, who is in her second season at the helm of the Pioneers’ program was named both the Region IV and Skyway Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year.

PSC’s Region IV championship is the first in school history.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized for the time and the effort, but I think all coaches do that,” Halbach said. “The difference this year is that I had an outstanding team who was dedicated, listened, and was eager to improve, making it very easy to be a good coach. They responded well to my instructions, and hate losing as much as I do. Those are all good components to making a coach look good.”

Halbach, who played collegiate volleyball at Jacksonville State University (Ala.), joined the Pioneers’ coaching staff as an assistant in 2008 before being elevated to head coach prior to the 2010 campaign.

“Without question, Kim is deserving of these awards,” PSC Director of Physical Education and Athletics Ed Schaffer said. “For a second-year coach to win both the conference and region championships and advance to the national tournament is an outstanding accomplishment. This is a testament to her hard work and dedication as a recruiter and teacher.”

To date, Halbach has compiled a 45-29 record as head coach.

The Pioneers will take on Oakland Community College (Mich.) in the first round of the NJCAA National Tournament Thursday at 2 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio.

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Jessica Stas	Bridget O’Shea	Kaitlyn Kelley	Ashley Olszweski

 

November 7, 2011
PIONEERS LAND FIVE ON ALL-SKYWAY TEAM
When a program wins its first-ever Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference volleyball championship, it should come as no surprise when individual accolades begin to pile up.

This is exactly what is currently happening with the Prairie State College volleyball team.

The PSC Athletic Department was pleased to recently learn that five of its volleyball players were selected to the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference first and second teams.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.), freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) and freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) were all first-team picks.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) and freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) were both second-team selections.

“Getting five players on the all-conference team is wonderful,” PSC head coach Kim Halbach said. “It’s always nice to get the acknowledgement from the other conference coaches.”

In addition to her spot on the first team, Stas also earned Skyway Player of the Year Honors.

“Jessi was shocked when I told her she was the Player of the Year. I think that really is a credit to how unassuming our team has been all year about the success and the wins we have earned that all five were appreciative and that little bit surprised.”

The Pioneers (27-10) posted a 6-1 record in regular-season Skyway Conference action to claim the league title. PSC also locked down its first Skyway Conference Tournament championship.

Stas compiled 138 kills (3.94 per set), 102 digs and 20 blocks in 10 conference matches (including the league tournament). Her best effort in Skyway play came via a 19-kill performance versus Waubonsee on September 27.
Stas is currently ranked 16th nationally in kills per set.

O’Shea, who is currently ranked 14th in the nation in assists per set, dished out 342 helpers in league play with a Skyway-best of 45 coming against Waubonsee. She also amassed 125 digs in conference play.

Kelley delivered 203 digs in Skyway play (5.63 per set) and also picked up her season-high in league play (32) in the Waubonsee match.

Olszewski put down 79 kills with 40 blocks, 30 digs and 17 aces in Skyway matches. Her best effort of the conference slate came in PSC’s triumph over Morton Sept. 1.

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Cheyenne Bailey (approaching) and Bridgette O'Shea (setting) contributed two of the many outstanding performances at the Region IV Tournament Saturday.

November 5, 2011
PIONEERS EARN PSC’S FIRST-EVER REGION IV CHAMPIONSHIP
GRAYSLAKE, Ill. --- In a season of firsts for the Prairie State College volleyball team, one more was added to the ledger Saturday.

And this was the biggest one yet.

The Pioneers posted the two most significant victories in their program’s history, earning PSC its first-ever NJCAA Region IV championship in any sport.

Prairie State (27-10) downed McHenry 25-21, 25-16, 25-12 in semifinal action  at the Region IV Tournament before taking down local rival Moraine Valley in a four-set triumph in the finals, 24-26, 25-19, 25-15, 25-15.

The Pioneers now move onto the NJCAA National Championship, Nov. 17-19 at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio.

PSC received several significant performances across the board as freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.) hammered down 19 kills over the course of the two matches. She also registered two blocks.

Bailey posted a 12-kill effort in the championship match.

Freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) dished out 74 assists on the day with her best effort coming in the region-clincher against the Cyclones.

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) chipped in 45 digs while sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) each contributed 18 kills apiece.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) came up with 11 blocks over the two matches.

Stas, Kelley and Olszewski were all named to the Region IV All-Tournament Team.

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November 2, 2011
STAS, KELLEY LOCK DOWN ALL-REGION SELECTIONS
As if claiming both the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference regular-season and tournament titles weren’t enough, the good news keeps pouring in for the Prairie State College volleyball team.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) and freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) were both selected to the NJCAA All-Region IV team.

Stas was a unanimous selection and received the most votes of any player in the region.

In 116 sets this season, the 5-foot-9 Stas has registered a team-best 418 kills, good for fourth-place on the PSC single-season kills list. Her 682 career kills are third on the all-time chart.

Stas is currently ranked 16th nationally in kills per set (3.6).

Stas picked up a career-high 24 kills in the Pioneers’ triumph over Black Hawk East on October 29.

PSC head coach Kim Halbach was pleased to see the improvement that Stas has made over the course of her two seasons as a Pioneer.

“Jessi has worked hard over the past two years to improve her game and to become a more efficient hitter,” Halbach said. “She has the power and the skills to make the big swings, but has worked hard to make smarter shots when needed.

“We also asked Jessi to step up and play all the way around this year and I think she has made huge strides in her defensive abilities and passing, considering she had never played back row before.”

Halbach also cited Stas’ high volleyball I.Q. as a major contributor to her on-court success.

“Jessi is a girl who likes to figure things out,” Halbach said. “She wants to know what she did wrong and why it happened. That determination has helped her improve into an impressive and memorable player.”

Kelley has posted 575 digs in 114 sets thus far in her first season of collegiate volleyball and currently sits third on the Pioneers’ single-season digs ledger.

Kelley’s season-high of 33 digs also came against Black Hawk East.

Halbach also had high praise for Kelley as well.

“Katie has only been here a year, but she has such a solid and consistent influence on our team,” Halbach said. “She is very level-headed on the court and just gets the job done. I am a big advocate that strong defense can win games, and I believe that Katie’s defensive efforts and leadership in the back row have been that steady influence that we needed throughout the season.

“Sometimes liberos and defensive specialists are forgotten about behind the flash of a big block or hit in the front row, but a lot of work needs to be done before a hitter got that ball. There was never any doubt that Katie’s serve receive and defensive skills were critical to our success this year.”

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November 2, 2011
PIONEERS MOVE INTO SEMIFINALS AFTER TRIUMPH OVER SOUTH SUBURBAN
The Prairie State College volleyball team took a successful first step in its quest for an NJCAA Region IV championship Wednesday, following a four-game quarterfinal triumph over South Suburban in Chicago Heights.

The Pioneers (25-10) claimed the match 25-21, 25-18, 18-24, 25-9 in front of a boisterous crowd at the PSC Fieldhouse.

PSC was paced by a pair of 14-kill efforts from sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.).

Stas, who was recently named to the All-Region IV Team in conjuction with being selected the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Volleyball Player of the Week, also compiled 15 digs, three blocks and an ace.

Smerz also added eight digs.

Freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) dished out 37 assists while adding 15 digs.

Freshman middle blockers Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.), (9 kills, 6 digs, 6 blocks) and Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.), (8 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs) also made strong contributions.

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) picked up 18 digs and six assists.

PSC will now face McHenry in semifinal action at Lake County on Saturday (noon).

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October 29, 2011
O’SHEA’S RECORD-SETTING DAY LEADS THE WAY
KEWANEE, Ill. --- Considering the season that Prairie State College freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) has had so far, it really was only a matter of time before she forced her way into the PSC record book.
That time came Saturday.

O’Shea established a new single-match school record for assists following a 61-helper effort against Black Hawk East in the second contest of a two match afternoon for the Pioneers.

The Pioneers (24-10) won that match in hard-fought fashion, 24-26, 19-25, 25-18, 25-15, 15-13.

PSC also upended St. Louis (Mo.) 25-16, 25-19, 25-18 in its first match of the day.

Along with the 61 assists, O’Shea also posted 21 digs and nine kills against Black Hawk East.

“Bridget has been a great asset to the team,” PSC head coach Kim Halbach said. “She has stepped up as a leader and is one of the toughest girls I’ve coached. Through injury and sickness, she just keeps going. She is able to put a consistent ball to our hitters, so they can produce at the net. I was proud that she was able to break into the record books with yet another match where we had to come from behind. Her setting in that match (Black Hawk East) as well as her defense, were major factors in us being successful Saturday.”

In the match against Black Hawk East, the Pioneers rallied from two sets down to earn the win.

In addition to O’Shea, PSC received strong efforts from sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.), (24 kills, 11 digs, 4 assists, 2 blocks) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.), (20 kills, 2 assists, block, ace).

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (33 digs, 2 aces), freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.), (16 kills, 8 blocks, 3 digs).
In PSC’s opening match against St. Louis, O’Shea registered 35 assists, eight digs and three aces.

Stas and Olszewski led the way with 13 kills apiece while Smerz and freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.) each added six. Smerz also contributed five digs, a block and an ace.

With the two wins, PSC now moves onto the NJCAA Region IV playoffs and will take on local rival South Suburban in a first-round match Wednesday (6 p.m.).

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October 26, 2011
SMERZ, O’SHEA LEAD PIONEERS TO FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN
Fresh off a grueling five-set Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Tournament-clinching victory over McHenry Sunday, the Prairie State College volleyball team was refreshed and ready to go again Tuesday night against visiting Highland.

Led by strong efforts from sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) and freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), the Pioneers rolled to a 25-13, 25-15, 25-11 win over the Cougars on “Sophomore Night” in Chicago Heights.

With the win, PSC (22-10) triumphed for a fourth straight time and improved their 2011 home-court record to 10-1.

Smerz led the way with an 11-kill, five-dig outing, which included both a block and an ace.

In her career at Prairie State, Smerz now has 496 kills, good for fifth on the Pioneers’ career kills chart.

Thanks to a 28-assist effort Tuesday, O’Shea now has 949 assists on the season and currently sits second on the PSC single-season ledger and third on the career list.

O’Shea also added five digs and three aces.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) put down seven kills while recording five blocks. She also added a pair of aces.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.), who was honored along with Smerz in a pregame ceremony, contributed six kills, nine digs, two blocks and an ace.

Stas now has 631 career kills and currently sits third on the PSC all-time list.

Freshman Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.), (4 kills), freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (8 digs, 2 aces) also contributed.

The Pioneers fell behind 5-1 early in Game 1 before rallying to take a 10-9 lead courtesy of a kill by O’Shea.

Back-to-back aces from O’Shea gave PSC a 15-10 advantage as the Pioneers never looked back.

Prairie State used a 6-0 scoring spurt in Game 2 to take a 19-12 advantage after back-to-back kills by Stas.

PSC tallied the last final four points of the third set, thanks in part to kills from Olszewski and Smerz. Olszewski registered the match-claiming point courtesy of an ace.

The Pioneers will now travel to Black Hawk East College in Kewanee to take on St. Louis Community College (MO) and Black Hawk East on Saturday.

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October 23, 2011
PIONEERS CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY FOLLOWING TOURNAMENT WIN
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. --- Down two sets to none in a potential tournament-clinching match with McHenry, the Prairie State College volleyball team didn't exactly have the odds on its side.

Fortunately however, when a team is in the middle of a historic season, the odds don't matter much.

After dropping the first two sets, 16-25, 15-25, the Pioneers went to work, earning hard-fought 25-23, 25-21, 16-14 wins in the final three sets to down the Scots in dramatic fashion and claim the Gold Pool championship of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Tournament.

Sunday's championship marked PSC's first Skyway Tournament title.

Prairie State (21-10) also upended Lake County 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 on Saturday before knocking off Moraine Valley 25-23, 25-19, 25-23 in the opening match Sunday.

While any win over the Cyclones is always noteworthy, Sunday's triumph proved especially significant due to the fact that Moraine Valley was the only league opponent that PSC, the 2011 regular-season Skyway titlists, did not upend during the conference slate.

As is the case with most tournament championships, PSC picked up several strong individual efforts as freshman libero/right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), sophomore outside hitter Ashley Smerz (Bremen H.S.), sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) and freshman setter Bridget O'Shea (Marist H.S.) were selected to the all-tournament team.

If anyone ever unwisely questioned the Pioneers' determination this season, those queries were laid to rest following the match against the Scots.

"Winning the tournament in such an intense fashion is always emotional and uplifting," PSC head coach Kim Halbach said. "From being down 2-0 after playing some of the worst volleyball we had all season to coming out strong and focused in game three, just shows the competitiveness that we can come up with. I don't feel that we played all that well even in sets three through five skills-wise, but we kept going after them and refused to let balls hit the floor.

"McHenry came out swinging and fired up, and we haven't seen a team go after us like that in awhile. I think we needed some catch-up time and when it came time for game three and it was win or go home, the team did a complete 180 and I could not be more proud of the way they scratched and fought for each point in those next three sets. Even in game five when it was point-for-point at the end, they gave a sense of calm and focus that isn't easy to accomplish when the match is on the line. We held our composure and it paid off."

Stas led all PSC hitters with 42 kills over the course of the three matches. She also compiled 28 digs and three blocks.

Smerz delivered 26 kills and 28 digs while Kelley registered a whopping 73 digs.

O'Shea handed out 89 assists, 34 digs and a trio of aces.

PSC will now take on Highland Tuesday in Chicago Heights (6 p.m.).

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October 12, 2011
PIONEERS DROP HARD-FOUGHT MATCH WITH KANKAKEE
After earning its first Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship in school history Tuesday night, the Prairie State College volleyball team set its sights on another challenge: Toppling traditional NJCAA Region IV power Kankakee.

Despite a hard-fought match in front of a boisterous home crowd, the Pioneers fell to the Cavaliers in four sets 21-25, 28-26, 17-25, 19-25 in Chicago Heights.

PSC was 1-1 against Kankakee this season prior to Tuesday’s rubber match.

The loss was also Prairie State’s first on its home floor this season.

In addition, the match marked just the third time this season that the Pioneers have played more than three sets in a home contest.

As has been the case throughout much of 2011, Prairie State (18-10) once again received a well-rounded team effort.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) led the way with 12 kills, nine digs and an ace.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South) chipped in nine kills, five blocks and two aces.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) also played well, adding eight kills and 17 digs.

Reigning Skyway Conference Volleyball Player of the Week, freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) added 32 assists. O’Shea, who currently has 832 assists on the campaign, is now ranked 17th nationally in assists per set (9.19 per set).

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (8 digs), freshman right-side hitter Katie Bultema (Kankakee H.S.), (6 digs), freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.), (5 kills, 3 blocks) and freshman right-side hitter Lauren Kahney (Beecher H.S.), (3 blocks) were all strong contributors.

Trailing 14-8 in Game 1, the Pioneers put together a strong push, pulling to within a point at 22-21 following a Kankakee hitting error. The Cavaliers closed out the set with a 3-0 spurt.

Prairie State raced out to a 3-0 advantage in the second set thanks to a kill from Olszewski and a pair of kills by Stas.

Kankakee eventually took a 12-8 lead before PSC again closed to within one at 15-14 thanks to an ace by Olszewski.

Smerz then tied the game at 15-all with a blistering kill.

The set see-sawed back and forth for the remainder as PSC also tied at 15, 19, 21 and 22 before grasping a 24-22 edge thanks to an Olszewski block and Smerz kill.

PSC tied again at 26 following another clutch-kill from Smerz and registered the set-claiming point courtesy of a kill by Bailey.

The Pioneers fell behind 5-1 early in Game 3 and never fully recovered, trailing throughout the entire set.

PSC hung tough in Game 4 as well, tying the set at 6-all.

Trailing 20-12, the Pioneers closed to within 20-18 thanks to a 6-0 run, highlighted by a pair of blocks from Bailey and kills by both Smerz and Stas.

Following a Bailey kill which made it a 22-19 game, the Cavaliers rattled off three straight points to close out the match.

PSC will now take a much-deserved break before returning to action Oct. 21-22 at the Skyway Conference Tournament, hosted by McHenry.

October 11, 2011
PIONEERS CLINCH PSC’S FIRST SKYWAY VOLLEYBALL TITLE
GRAYSLAKE, Ill. --- If the Prairie State College volleyball team felt any semblance of pressure when it stepped into the field house at Lake County Tuesday night, then the Pioneers’ ability to collectively put on a strong “poker face” almost competed with their play on the court.

When the dust had settled after three sets with the Lancers, PSC history had been made as the Pioneers secured their first-ever Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference volleyball championship.

The Pioneers (18-9, 6-1) took control of the match from the opening serve and never relinquished it, downing the hosts in convincing fashion, 25-18, 25-15, 25-16.

“Someone asked about the pressure that was on us going into the match, but I don’t think the girls felt any,” PSC second-year head coach Kim Halbach said. “Sometimes I think it is helpful to have a young team because they don’t necessarily feel the same pressure that a team of sophomores would. They just came out fired up, focused and confident from point-one of the match and took charge. It was fun to watch.”

Tuesday’s championship represents Prairie State’s second Skyway title in intercollegiate athletics. PSC’s women’s basketball team earned the school its first league championship in any sport following the 2010-11 season.

“Winning the conference title tonight was the result of a lot of positive thinking and hard work,” Halbach said. “I have seen so much improvement in each and every one of our players since they first stepped into the gym in August.”

As equally impressive as the Pioneers’ performance Tuesday was the fact that PSC’s volleyball program is in only its sixth season of existence.

“This is my fourth year on the coaching staff at PSC and to see where the program has come in such a short time is really amazing,” Halbach said. “Winning the first conference title for the program is something that I will always be proud of and I’m glad that it happened with such a hard-working and fun group of girls.”

With only two returning players in sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.), claiming a conference crown would probably be considered a lofty goal by most.

“With such a young team, our focus initially was to consistently improve our skills and be ready for regional play,” Halbach said. “But after the first few weeks of conference, we re-evaluated and realized that we could absolutely pull out a conference championship by taking it one game at a time.

“As a coach, you always want to play your best ball at the end of the season … to improve with each outing and I believe that is what we have done up to this point.”

As is the case with any championship match, there were plenty of strong individual efforts to go around.

PSC freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) delivered one of her strongest outings of the campaign, registering 11 kills, several of which came in critical situations. She also posted seven digs an ace and a block.

Stas also contributed 11 kills and seven digs while Smerz added another eight kills and 10 digs.

Freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.) also played big, hammering down seven crucial kills.

Freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), (38 assists) and freshman libero Katilyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (17 digs) both made major contributions.

After compiling 199 assists over the previous week, O’Shea was also named the Skyway Player of the Week for volleyball.

The Pioneers raced out to an early 10-4 lead in Game 1and eventually took a17-8 lead following a four-point run, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Stas and a pair of Lake County hitting errors.

PSC roared out to a 6-0 advantage in the second set thanks in part to kills by Stas, Olszewski and O’Shea.

Lake County jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in Game 3 before Prairie State answered with a 6-0 spurt, highlighted by a kill from Smerz and an ace by Stas to take a 6-3 lead and never looked back.

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October 8, 2011
PIONEERS CLAIM PSC TOURNEY TITLE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
Any time a team hosts a tournament, winning that tournament is certainly paramount.

The Prairie State College volleyball team took this to heart this past weekend, crowning themselves champions of the Prairie State College Tournament for a third consecutive year.

The Pioneers (17-9) posted a 4-0 mark over the course of the two-day tournament to claim the title.

“We’ve been working hard all season to maintain a high level of confidence and energy throughout a match,” PSC head coach Kim Halbach said. “I believe this weekend we managed to carry that throughout the whole tournament, stepping onto the court with the mentality that we weren’t going to let anyone come in and beat us at our own tournament.

“I am excited about the work the team has put in and am looking forward to seeing how far it will take us here at the end of conference and as regionals begin.”

PSC opened the tournament Friday with a 25-22, 25-9, 25-13 triumph over the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex (Md.) before besting Ancilla (Ind.) 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 26-24.

The Pioneers got off to a fast start on Saturday as well, upending Sauk Valley 25-27, 25-20, 25-22, 26-24 prior to closing the weekend with a 25-11, 25-18, 25-17 win over South Suburban.

With the four tournament wins, PSC has now won seven straight matches.

Prairie State picked up several strong efforts throughout the tournament, as freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) was selected the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. The 5-foot-5 O’Shea totaled 165 assists over the course of the three matches. She also registered 39 digs and 13 kills. She is currently ranked 27th nationally in assists per set.

O’Shea posted a career-high 50 assists against Sauk Valley.

“As always, Bridget led our team with her dedication, earning the MVP award while battling a lingering illness,” Halbach said.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) was selected to the all-tournament team after compiling 44 kills, 16 blocks and five aces in the four matches.

“Ashley also really stepped up, playing some of the best ball she has all season, making a big impact in the middle,” said Halbach.

The Pioneers also picked up two more stellar efforts from sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.).

Stas totaled 58 kills to go along with her 27 digs and five blocks while Smerz hammered down 53 kills with 49 digs.

Stas is currently 16th in the NJCAA kills per set rankings.

The Pioneers will take the court again on Tuesday when they take on Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference foe Lake County. A win will insure PSC its first Skyway volleyball title in school history.

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October 4, 2011
PIONEERS KEEP PACE, REMAIN IN TIE FOR FIRST
The Prairie State College volleyball team, by way of its 25-20, 25-16, 27-25 victory over Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference opponent Elgin on Tuesday, set up a potential conference-championship match with Lake County on October 11.

With Tuesday’s win, the Pioneers, who share an identical 5-1 mark in league play with the Lancers, moved their overall season record to 13-9 while also remaining unbeaten on their home floor.

PSC recorded its highest hitting percentage of the season in the match (.327).

The Pioneers were paced by sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) who registered 18 kills and nine digs in the match. She also contributed two aces.

Fellow sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) also played strong, aiding the Pioneers’ cause with a seven-kill, 15-dig outing.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) also picked up seven kills to go along with her four blocks and three aces.

Freshman Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) posted another strong effort as well, contributing 34 assists and 10 digs. O’Shea is currently in the top 30 nationally in assists per set.

The Pioneers will take the court again on Friday when they host their own two-day Prairie State Tournament beginning at 3 p.m.

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September 29, 2011
17 ACES TELL THE STORY IN PSC TRIUMPH
SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. --- If there was a central theme to the Prairie State College volleyball team’s three-set sweep of local rival South Suburban on Thursday, it revolved around one element: Serving.

The Pioneers (12-9) shifted their service game into high-gear, posting 17 aces in the 25-18, 25-14, 25-10 triumph.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) and freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) both collected seven aces apiece.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) added two more while freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) also registered one.

In addition to her solid showing from behind the service line, Smerz also led PSC with 13 kills and 12 digs.

Stas contributed 12 kills and seven digs while Olszewski added another six.

O’Shea also handed out 29 assists.

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September 27, 2011
PIONEERS REMAIN IN FIRST-PLACE TIE FOLOWING WIN OVER WAUBONSEE
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. --- The battle for the Illinois Skyway and Collegiate Conference volleyball crown is beginning to heat up, and thanks to a plethora of strong individual efforts, Prairie State College finds itself right in the thick of it.

Tuesday night the Pioneers (11-9, 4-1) downed league counterpart Waubonsee 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21.

With the win, PSC remains locked in a three-way tie atop the league standings with Lake County and McHenry.

Prairie State received a standout effort from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.). The 5-foot-9 Stas hammered down a season-high 19 kills. She also picked up 11 digs and four blocks.

Fellow sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) was also impressive, collecting 15 kills and 15 digs over the match’s four sets.

Freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) handed out a career-high 45 assists while also compiling 17 digs and a pair of aces.

Freshman right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) also posted a career-high of her own with 32 digs.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) added 10 kills, four digs and four blocks.

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September 23, 2011
PIONEERS FALL AT KANKAKEE
KANKAKEE, Ill. --- The Prairie State College volleyball was unable to post a third straight win Friday night, falling to NJCAA Region IV rival Kankakee in three sets.

Prairie State (10-9) dropped the three games by scores of 25-13, 25-23, 25-17.

The Pioneers were paced by sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz’s (Bremen H.S.) six kills and eight digs.

PSC also picked up a solid effort from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.), who delivered five kills and seven blocks.

Freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) added 11 assists while freshman right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) contributed eight digs.

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September 21, 2011
SMERZ, STAS, O’SHEA LEAD PIONEERS PAST OAKTON
Sophomore outside hitters Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) and Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) teamed up with freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.) to deliver a knockout blow to Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference foe Oakton Tuesday night in Chicago Heights.

The Pioneers (10-8, 3-1) claimed the match in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-13, 25-12.

Smerz led all PSC hitters with a 15-kill, 19-dig effort which included a pair of blocks.

Stas contributed 13 kills and 18 digs while also adding two blocks.

The 5-foot-5 O’Shea turned in a career-high 43 assists, to go along with her 17 digs and four kills.

Freshman right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) posted a match-high 22 digs.

Freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.) registered seven kills.

Tuesday’s triumph helped move the Pioneers into a five-team log jam atop the conference standings as Waubonsee, Moraine Valley, Lake County and McHenry all have identical 3-1 marks in league play.

The Pioneers will be in action this Friday (Sept. 23) as they hit the road to take on NJCAA Region IV rival Kankakee (6 p.m.).

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Sept. 16-17, 2011
PIONEERS TURN IN SOLID PERFORMANCE IN TEXAS
BAYTOWN, TEXAS --- The Prairie State College volleyball team turned in a strong 2-2 effort this past weekend at the San Jacinto College Classic.

On Friday, the Pioneers (9-8) fell to NJCAA No. 5 Tyler (Texas) in three sets, 25-10, 25-15, 25-15. PSC rebounded later in the day to take down Cisco (Texas) in five sets, 25-12, 24-26, 25-23, 18-25, 15-10.

Prairie State also opened Saturday with a win, going the distance against Hill (Texas) and upending the Rebels  18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 18-25, 15-13.

PSC closed out the tournament with a three-set loss to host Lee College, falling 14-25, 21-25, 16-25.

PSC sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) delivered a strong overall effort, compiling 42 kills and 46 digs over the tournament’s four matches.

Smerz’s top effort came in the win over Hill as the 5-foot-6 Smerz registered 15 kills and 16 digs.

Smerz was also selected the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week ending September 19.

Fellow sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) hammered down 39 kills while coming up with 26 kills for the tournament.

Stas’ best performance came courtesy of her 18-kill, six-dig outing against Cisco.

Freshman setter Bridgett O’Shea (Marist H.S.) also performed well, totalling 112 assists and 42 digs in the four matches.

O’Shea handed out a season-high 42 assists in the triumph over Cisco.

PSC returns to action Tuesday night (September 20), when they square off against Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference foe Oakton at the PSC Fieldhouse (6 p.m.).

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September 13, 2011
PIONEERS DOWN MCHENRY IN CONVINCING WIN
Fueled by a 14-kill effort from sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.), the Prairie State College volleyball team made quick work of Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference rival McHenry Tuesday evening.

The Pioneers (7-6, 2-1) downed the Scots in three sets, 25-22, 25-15, 25-18 in Chicago Heights.

In addition to her 14 kills, Smerz also recorded seven digs and an ace.

Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.) also performed well, delivering nine kills, nine digs and three blocks. Stas is currently ranked seventh nationally in kills per set (3.73).

PSC also picked up a strong, overall performance from freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), who compiled 26 assists, to go along with 11 digs and an ace.

Freshman right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (16 digs, 2 blocks, ace) also contributed.

The Pioneers trailed briefly 2-0 in the first set and clung to several small leads throughout before finally ending the set courtesy of a kill by Smerz.

PSC raced out to a 4-0 advantage in Game 2 thanks in part to an ace from O’Shea.

The Pioneers used an 8-0 run, highlighted by a trio of kills from Smerz, to take a 15-7 lead. Prairie State finished the set on a kill by Kelley.

McHenry used a 4-0 run to knot Game 3 at 12 before the Pioneers used kills by Stas, Smerz and freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) to take an 18-13 lead.

Stas closed out the Scots with a kill.

The Pioneers will take the court next at the San Jacinto College Classic in Baytown, Texas (September 16-17).

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September 8, 2011
PIONEERS FALL AT MORAINE VALLEY
PALOS HILLS, Ill. --- Despite a 16-kill effort from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.), the Prairie State College volleyball team was unable to pick up a win Thursday, falling to Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference rival Moraine Valley.

The Pioneers (6-6, 1-1) dropped the match’s first set 25-20, before rebounding to claim the second game 25-15. PSC hung in, but was unable to pull out the final two sets, ending up on the short side of consecutive 25-19 scores.

In addition to her 16 kills, Stas also added 15 digs, three assists and an ace.

Freshman middle blocker Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.) posted a seven-kill evening, which included three digs, three blocks and two aces. Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) was also solid, delivering 24 digs and five kills. Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (18 digs, 6 kills, 3 assists), freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), (33 assists, 17 digs, 3 kills) and freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.), (3 kills, 2 blocks) also made strong contributions.

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September 6, 2011
KELLEY SELECTED AS SKYWAY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF WEEK
The Prairie State College Athletic Department was pleased to learn recently that freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.) was named the inaugural Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week ending September 4.

Kelley was ranked fourth nationally in digs per set as of September 4.

During the week of August 28 through September 4, Kelley, registered 68 digs and recorded 10 aces.

Kelley’s most impressive outing during that stretch came in the Pioneers’ four-set victory over conference rival Morton on September 1. In that match, the 5-foot-7 Kelley picked up 16 digs.

In 30 sets this season, Kelley has compiled 160 digs, good for a 5.3 average.

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September 6, 2011
STAS HELPS LEAD PIONEERS PAST ANCILLA
Fresh off an impressive showing at the South Suburban Tournament this past weekend, the Prairie State College volleyball team posted another strong performance Tuesday night.

Paced by 15 kills from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S., Ind.), PSC downed visiting Ancilla 25-8, 25-23, 25-17 in Chicago Heights.

Stas wasn’t the only Pioneer to deliver a strong effort however.

Prairie State (6-5) also received a strong effort from freshman libero Katie Bultema (Kankakee H.S.), (11 digs, ace).

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), who Tuesday was named the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Volleyball Player of the Week and currently sits fourth in the NJCAA in digs per set, contributed another nine digs to her season ledger.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.), (7 kills, 6 digs) and freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), (8 digs) also made strong contributions.

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September 3, 2011
PIONEERS PLACE SECOND AT SOUTH SUBURBAN TOURNAMENT
SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. --- The Prairie State College volleyball team followed up its solid win over Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference opponent Morton on Thursday with a standout effort in the South Suburban Tournament on Saturday.

The Pioneers (5-5) finished as the tournament runner-up following a 25-19, 25-19 loss to NJCAA No. 5 Rock Valley in the championship match.

Prairie State opened the tourney with a  25-23, 25-20 win over NJCAA Region IV nemesis Kankakee before falling to Rock Valley in pool play 25-23, 25-20. PSC then ripped off wins against Black Hawk (25-17, 25-17) andSauk Valley (25-16, 25-19).

PSC picked up a strong overall performance from sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.). The 5-foot-9 Stas hammered down 44 kills for the tournament.

Sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) also played well, compiling 29 kills and 38 digs.

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (52 digs) was named to the all-tournament team.

The Pioneers will take the court again on Tuesday against Ancilla (Ind.).

PSC vs. Black Hawk video clip

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September 1, 2011
PIONEERS OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY ON WINNING NOTE
Paced by a well-balanced attack, the Prairie State College volleyball team gave the home town fans a sign of things to come, opening Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference play with a four-set victory over Morton in Chicago Heights.

The Pioneers (2-3) dropped the first set to the Panthers 25-23 before going on to claim the final three games in convincing fashion, 25-16, 25-16, 25-19.

PSC trailed throughout most of the first set, but rallied to eventually tie the game at 21 thanks in part to a kill by freshman libero Katie Bultema (Kankakee H.S.).

The Pioneers also fell behind 4-0 in Game 2, but an 8-0 run, highlighted by two kills by freshman middle blocker Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.) and an ace by sophomore outside hitter Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.) helped establish an 18-11 lead.

PSC closed out the second set with a 4-0 scoring spurt.

After falling behind 3-1 early in the third set, the Pioneers rebounded nicely, racing out to a 17-11 advantage. Prairie State once again closed strong, finishing the set with a kill and ace from Smerz and kills by sophomore outside hitter Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.) and Bailey.

Morton tied the fourth set at 11 before finishing strong once again to close out the match.
For the match, Smerz compiled 10 kills, 18 digs and three aces while Stas added another 10 kills to go along with her five digs.

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (16 digs) along with freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), (34 assists, 12 digs) also made strong contributions.

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August 26-27, 2011
PIONEERS COMPETE AT SOUTHEASTERN TOURNAMENT
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa --- The Prairie State College volleyball team scored a major victory in its first match of the season Friday, upending host Southeastern 25-27, 25-18, 25-22, 30-28 at the Southeastern Tournament.

Overall, the Pioneers finished the tournament with a 1-3 record.

The Pioneers were unable to keep the good vibes going in their second match of the day on Friday however, falling 18-25, 9-25, 21-25 to NJCAA No. 10 Parkland. The Pioneers were also unable to garner wins in their two Saturday matches, falling 20-25, 17-25, 25-27 to Kansas City (KS) and 12-25, 20-25, 28-30 to seventh-ranked Kirkwood.

In the win over Southeastern, Prairie State (1-3) was paced by strong efforts from sophomore outside hitters Jessica Stas (Calumet Christian H.S.), (14 kills) and Alexa Smerz (Bremen H.S.), (10 kills, 25 digs).

Freshman libero Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.), (28 digs) and freshman setter Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.), (31 assists) also made major contributions.

For the tournament, Stas recorded 38 kills while Smerz added another 33 kills plus 47 digs. Kelly posted 58 digs over the course of the four matches while O’Shea added 104 assists.

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2011-2012 VOLLEYBALL LETTERS OF INTENT SIGNEES

• MB Ashley Olszewski (T.F. South H.S.)
• MH Cheyenne Bailey (T.F. North H.S.)
• DS Katie Bultema (Kankakee H.S.)
• OH/DS Kaitlyn Kelley (Oak Forest H.S.)
• S Bridget O’Shea (Marist H.S.)
• RS Lauren Kahney (Beecher H.S.)

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PIONEERS AT THE NEXT LEVEL
The following 2010-2011 Prairie State College volleyball players are currently attending four-year institutions.

• Samantha Mansanarez (Indiana University Northwest)
• Madeleine Radtke (Chicago State University)

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