Lockport Sweeps Joliet West in Impressive Start to Season

Porters continue strong start after finishing under .500 last year

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:21am

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The Lockport boys volleyball team is off to a 7-1 start this season, sweeping Joliet West 25-20, 25-11 at home on Tuesday. After a tough 2025 campaign that saw them finish under .500, the Porters have bounced back with a mix of experienced seniors and talented underclassmen stepping up.

Why it matters

Lockport's strong start represents a significant turnaround from last season, when they were a young team replacing 10 senior starters. The Porters' ability to blend veteran leadership with promising younger players has them poised for a potential breakout year.

The details

Lockport was led by senior middle Austin Williams (5 kills), sophomore Jaxon Miller (2 aces, 6 digs), and senior setter Antonio Fiordirosa (11 assists). Joliet West, a young team this season, was paced by Dre Lyles (4 kills), Max Neverman (3 blocks, 1 ace), and Sam Racutt (9 assists). Lockport jumped out to an early lead in the second set and cruised to the victory.

  • Lockport is now 7-1 on the year after Tuesday's win.

The players

Austin Williams

A senior middle for the Lockport Porters.

Jaxon Miller

A sophomore starter for the Lockport Porters.

Antonio Fiordirosa

The senior setter for the Lockport Porters.

Dre Lyles

A player for the Joliet West Tigers.

Max Neverman

A player for the Joliet West Tigers.

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What they’re saying

“From 15-20 last year to starting 7-1 now, that's something we'll welcome with open arms. Our middles are going to win us matches. Our outside's jobs are to keep us in matches. We talked about that with how we make our decisions.”

— Nick Mraz, Lockport Head Coach

“We have to stay consistent. If we play consistent we look good. You can't have a nice run and then go to the serving line and mess up your serve. It interrupts your flow. ...It was our errors and we have to be able to eliminate those.”

— Tara Litwicki, Joliet West Head Coach

What’s next

Lockport will look to continue their strong start when they face Bolingbrook on April 5th.

The takeaway

Lockport's impressive turnaround this season, fueled by a mix of veteran leadership and promising young talent, has them poised to potentially challenge for a conference title after a down year in 2025.