St. Charles Volleyball Returns to State After Last Year's Loss

Sometimes the best comeback stories happen one year at a time.

St. Charles boys volleyball swept Dayton Carroll 25-14, 25-17, 25-23 in the Division II Region 5 final on May 23, punching their ticket to the state semifinals at Wittenberg University. The victory came exactly one year after the Cardinals saw their season end in the same regional final round.

The top-seeded Cardinals didn't just win their regional berth. They swept all four opponents in the tournament without dropping a single set.

"We went into the game knowing if we're playing our game, we're going to win pretty handily," said senior Jack Ishmael, whose clutch kills helped secure the opening set. The team's confidence came from preparation and a year of growth since their 2025 regional final loss to Mount Vernon.

The match showed the Cardinals' resilience when it mattered most. Carroll jumped to an early lead in set one before St. Charles found their rhythm. The second set saw Ishmael, Jake Wiza, and Charlie Koesters dominate at the net. But the third set tested everything the team had learned about closing out wins.

Carroll led 21-18 late in the final set, three points from forcing a fourth. That's when Mateo Von Bridel delivered two aces that ignited a comeback, and St. Charles rallied to complete the sweep.

Coach Ned Gruber saw something special in how his team handled the pressure. "We think we're even with everybody, and why not us?" he said. "Why can't we put it together at the right time and make it happen?"

Why This Inspires

This Cardinals team knows what disappointment feels like, which makes their dominant tournament run even sweeter. After reaching the 2024 state final and losing in five sets, then falling short of states entirely in 2025, they could have crumbled under pressure. Instead, they swept through regionals with the kind of focused execution that comes from learning how to bounce back.

St. Charles will face Middletown Fenwick in the state semifinals on May 29. The Cardinals beat Fenwick earlier this season in three close sets, so they know what's ahead. Win or lose at states, this team already proved that last year's ending wasn't their final chapter.