On Monday, August 26, the Illinois Lutheran Chargers started their 2024 season hosting the Crete-Monee Warriors in a non-conference match. The Chargers started out strong and jumped to a 16-8 lead. Crete-Monee came back to get within two at 22-20, but the Chargers were able to finish the first set with a 25-23 win. Crete-Monee took the momentum into the second set and with an 11-6 lead. The Chargers were able to pull within 3, but Crete-Monee finished with a 25-16 set two win. The Warriors jumped out to another lead in set three. Although the Chargers kept it close and then tied it at 15, they were not able to hang on and dropped the third set and the match, 18-25. Senior setter, Emma Nagle had a double-double, with 13 assists and 14 digs and added 4 kills and an ace. Senior libero Mia Jacobucci was busy on defense collecting 20 digs, along with 2 aces and 5 assists. Anna Oestmann and Kimberly Danielewicz each had 6 kills.
On Thursday, August 29, ILHS traveled to Heritage Christian in Dyer, Indiana, to play a non-conference best of three-out-of-five match. The Chargers worked hard in each set, but dropped the match 21-25, 22-25, 19-25. Senior middle hitter Kimberly Danielewicz led the team with 9 kills and 5 solo blocks, while Emma Nagle had 3 aces, 18 assists and 9 digs. Anna Oestmann added 3 aces, 3 kills and 9 digs, Azaylia Sanchez had 1 ace, 2 kills and 13 digs, and Madison Permenter led the defense with 14 digs.
On Saturday, August 31, the Chargers traveled to Wilmington for the Wilmington Invitational, but struggled in pool play against the larger teams. They lost to Wilmington 8-25, 12-25; Seneca 12-25, 11-25; and Providence Catholic 10-25, 11-25. In the last match of the day, the Chargers regrouped and beat Plano 25-20, 25-23. During the second match, senior Emma Nagle was injured and sat out the rest of the tournament. Sophomore setter Lola Spada came in and did a great job of running the offense. Senior Anna Oestmann received All-Tournament honors.
On Tuesday, September 3, the Chargers were back home for a non-conference match against Iroquois West. The Chargers started out slow and found themselves behind 2-8. However, they settled in and went up 12-11, when Emma Nagle stepped to the service line and served 9 straight points to put the Chargers up 21-11. They finished the set with a 25-12 win. Iroquois West began with a lead again in the second set, and Emma Nagle had another good service run of 5 points to put the Chargers up 15-11. Iroquois West closed the gap to within two, but the Chargers were able to hang on and win the second set and match 25-21. Emma Nagle had 6 aces, 3 kills, 8 assists, a block assist, and 5 digs, while Mia Jacobucci had 2 aces, 1 kill, 2 assists, and 6 digs. Azaylia Sanchez had 1 kill and 8 digs, Anna Oestmann recorded 1 ace, 2 kills and 4 digs, Madison Permenter added 2 aces, 2 kills and 6 digs, and Kimberly Danielewicz had 3 kills, 1 solo block, and 1 block assist and 3 digs.
On Thursday, September 5, Illinois Lutheran hosted Donovan for their first River Valley Conference match. The Chargers took an early lead and kept building it throughout the first set. Emma Nagle had one serving run of 4 points and then served for 3 more points to end the first set with a 25-15 win. In the second set, the Chargers kept up the tough serving. Anna Oestmann put the Chargers up 19-7 with a 7-point serving run, and the Chargers finished the second set and the match with a 25-12 win.
Emma Nagle had 3 aces, 10 assists, 1 kill, and 4 digs. Anna Oestmann recorded 2 aces, 5 kills, and 6 digs, while Mia Jacobucci had 3 kills and 6 digs. Kimberly Danielewicz had 2 aces, 2 kills, and a solo block, Erin Kennedy added 4 kills, and Madison Permenter and Azaylia Sanchez had 9 and 6 digs, respectively.
The Chargers are now 3-5 on the season and 1-0 in the RVC.