EDWARDSVILLE — Edwardsville’s boys volleyball season ended Thursday night, May 28, 2026, with a 25-17, 25-19 loss to O’Fallon in the IHSA regional final at Lucco-Jackson Gym, but the Tigers finished 24-14 and return much of their roster for the spring of 2027.
The Tigers, who lose only three seniors, closed a season that exceeded expectations despite falling to an O’Fallon team that improved to 30-3-1.
“We weren’t on the proper end of the match that we wanted to be on; we ended up losing,” Edwardsville head coach Doug Allen said. “But we were not favored to win that. It doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance to win. O’Fallon’s a really good team, and we played pretty well. We did some things we wanted to do, they’re just a really good team, and they were able to execute.”
Schonlau led Edwardsville with four service points, while Stearns had the team’s only ace. Donaldson led the Tigers with four kills, and Stearns and Gray added three kills each. Douglas had three digs, while Schonlau, Donaldson and Stearns finished with two digs apiece. Schonlau also recorded a block, and Lawrence had 12 assists.
Edwardsville ended the season at 24-14.
O’Fallon advances to face Belleville East in a sectional semifinal Saturday at 3 p.m. at the OTHS Panther Dome. Belleville East won its regional over Belleville Althoff Catholic 22-25, 25-20, 25-17.
The winner of that match advances to the sectional final, also serving as the Round of 16, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. against either Frankfort Lincoln-Way East, New Lenox Lincoln-Way West or New Lenox Lincoln-Way Central.
The O’Fallon sectional winner advances to the state tournament at Bolingbrook High School in Bolingbrook, where it will face the winner of the Darien Hinsdale South sectional in the first quarterfinal on June 5 at 10:30 a.m. The semifinals are scheduled for June 6 at 10 and 11 a.m., followed by the third-place match at 4 p.m. and the state final at 5 p.m.
