Junior outside hitter Quinn Grevengoed has impressed her dad, Troy, who also serves as the team’s coach, with how she has become more vocal this season for Chicago Christian. While Quinn leads the team in kills, she has also turned up the volume for the Knights.
“She’s in Year 3 and has been more of a vocal leader,” Troy said. “It’s been fun to watch her take that role. I would have liked one more week, but I’m excited to see her do it one more season.”
Although Quinn hit the 400-kill mark this fall, Chicago Christian’s season came to an end Monday with a 25-15, 22-25, 25-21 loss to Port Byron Riverdale in the Class 2A Mendota Supersectional.
L’Rae White led the Knights (29-11) with 14 kills, while Quinn Grevengoed added eight kills to eclipse 400 for the season. Lily Loerop served three aces, and Sydney Harris contributed two blocks and two aces.
On the Riverdale side, Kenadie Willemkens paced the team (26-10-1) with 14 kills and four aces. Cayleigh Hungate tallied nine kills and three aces, while Sarah Mitton chipped in with six kills.
Quinn Grevengoed especially had to use her vocal leadership during the second game on Monday. After Riverdale dominated the first game, she felt the need to rally her team.
“It was so loud in here,” she said. “But after plays, I brought them in and said, ‘Let’s adjust to what they’re doing.’”
The second game remained back and forth until Grevengoed put down a back-row kill to give the Knights a 12-11 lead. From that point on, they never trailed, forcing a decisive third game.
“I think putting them out of system was a big thing for us,” she said. “I thought we passed well in the second set. We were able to be super offensive. I feel like that bled into the third set. We had a really good comeback.”
Troy Grevengoed was confident the Knights would overcome their slump from the start.
“As the momentum goes, we realize, ‘We got this, we’re in this,’” he said. “I thought Riverdale played well. They were a different team than we saw on film. They’re a good defensive team. They scouted well. They knew what we were doing and executed their plan.”
One of Riverdale’s strategies was to try to limit Grevengoed’s effectiveness. It worked early on, but she eventually struck back.
“It was just trying to shut her down,” Riverdale coach Amy Mitton said of Grevengoed. “She’s the key to their offense. She’s a great player. Really, the focus was on shutting her down and making sure they were out of system so they couldn’t get it to her every time.”
Troy Grevengoed definitely noticed Riverdale’s attempt to take his daughter out of the match.
“Quinn has the ability to take over games early,” he said. “They read her well. They were either taking away the hard line or hard cross. They were sitting on those things and made her do it through the block.”
The Knights, who have won five straight sectional titles, finished fourth in Class 2A in 2021. However, all of their seasons since then have ended in the supersectional.
For Quinn Grevengoed and her teammates, there is still another shot at getting over that hurdle.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “We’ve been here four years in a row. Every year, we make it here — and it just wasn’t the year. Next year.”
White, a senior who only played at Chicago Christian this fall, is the main contributor who will be graduating. The Knights played three sophomores who will return to complement Quinn Grevengoed next season.
“I’m excited about what’s next,” Troy Grevengoed said. “They’ve been resilient all season. I’m proud of who we are and our school and our program.”
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Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/10/quinn-grevengoed-chicago-christian-riverdale-ihsa-girls-volleyball/