Kristi Hoese leaves Hobart volleyball to take over at Griffith

Kristi Hoese looked at the talent she had returning to Hobart and turned down the volleyball coaching job at Griffith.

LaPorte's Taylor Lebo is Times Volleyball Player of the Year

LAPORTE | Perched atop a stationary bicycle, day after day through nine long months of rehab, Taylor Lebo couldn't stop thinking about her return to the volleyball court.

Amber Clay

Marian Catholic junior Amber Clay dominated on the court for the second year. She holds the school record for aces and kills in a season, kills in a game, career aces and career kills.

Marian Catholic's Amber Clay

Marian Catholic's Amber Clay is The Times Illinois Volleyball Player of the year for the second consecutive year. The junior had 450 kills, 67 aces, 381 digs and 81 blocks this season.

Amber Clay

Marian Catholic's Amber Clay is The Times Player of the Year after dominating on the court.

HILLARY SMITH: Putting a bow on the volleyball season

The region was knocked out of the girls volleyball season quickly Saturday morning with three teams playing — Lake Central, Andrean and Marquette Catholic — and without one winning a game.

L.C. offense can't find stride in semistate loss

HUNTINGTON | Lake Central's goal against Carmel in Saturday's volleyball semistate semifinals was to find a way to force the Greyhounds out of their system.

Class 3A No. 7 Fairfield sweeps Andrean

PLYMOUTH | No matter what Andrean and coach Julie Wiejak tried against Class 3A No. 7 -ranked Fairfield at Saturday’s Plymouth Semistate, it didn’t work.

L.C. volleyball's rock is Julianne Epperson

ST. JOHN | Julianne Epperson's mind is clear.

Andrean's Marija Nicksic writes her own volleyball story

MERRILLVILLE | To warm up for a game, most athletes crank tunes on their iPods and bury themselves in headsets.

Connelly has Marquette volleyball team thinking about another deep run

MICHIGAN CITY | Grace Connelly won a state championship as a freshman and has designs on another as a senior.

Wheeler falls to Rochester in five games in Class 2A regional

ROCHESTER | Wheeler’s volleyball team couldn’t capture the fifth-game magic it had a year ago against Rochester.

Pioneer ends Washington Twp.’s season

ROYAL CENTER | Washington Twp. tried to put a rough start in the rear-view mirror and concentrate on a comeback attempt.

L.C. wins first volleyball regional crown since 1994

VALPARAISO | Lake Central had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Tuesday night, and there was no way that its five seniors were going to let the moment pass them by.

Andrean captures second straight volleyball regional title

MERRILLVILLE | Andrean's girls volleyball team has reached exactly as far as the 2011 team did.

Washington Twp. senior Henry short in stature, tall in leadership

WASHINGTON TWP. | Lindsey Henry has known volleyball success during her four years at Washington Twp.

Valparaiso volleyball happy to have junior transfer student

VALPARAISO | When coaches hear they're getting a transfer student, they secretly hope for a "franchise" player.

Griffith's Lisette Roldan adjusts to be top option

GRIFFITH | In each of the first two times that the Griffith volleyball team met Gavit in the regular season, the Gladiators found an answer for Panthers top hitter Lisette Roldan.