Friday night lights took on a new meaning this week. Night-time girls’ volleyball on a football field between Lane Tech and DePaul Prep at DePaul Prep. The Rams defeated the Champions in two sets, 25-23 and 25-16.
Perfect conditions made the evening great fun for all in attendance. DePaul Prep was able to avoid rain and water condensation on the court that hampered play at the recent college volleyball event at Wrigley Field.
The teams were basically even during the first set. With the DePaul Prep Rams maintaining a slight lead thorough out and managing to edge the Champions 25-23. The second set was mostly all Rams. The play of DePaul Prep senior Kalia Kroth stood out boosting the Rams to a ten-point lead early in the second set.
Rams’ senior Audrey Powers came off the bench late in the second set and served up two aces to but the icing on the victory cake and dialing up the energy in stadium.
The Rams are lead by standout player Kalia Kroth, one of the very best volleyball players in the state. Kroth will be attending the University of North Carolina next year and playing division one volleyball at a top volleyball school.
“I feel so honored. I couldn’t do this without my family and friends, my coaches. I am just so proud of everyone. And I hope we just go far. That’s all. Win or lose, I am always proud of my teammates and my coaches,” Kroth said.
The Rams improve to 9-5 on the season. This modest record is a little deceiving given the very tough schedule put together by head coach Caroline Gajzler. The DePaul Prep girls’ volleyball program has dramatically improved in recent years. They have won three straight regional titles. In 2024-2025 season, the Rams made it to the state finals in class 3A. Last year, the Rams fell in the 4A sectional championship game to New Trier. Head coach Caroline Gajzler put together a brutal schedule for the Rams this year.
Gajzler has an amazing .700 winning percentage in her six seasons at DePaul Prep, as her Rams have moved from class 2A to class 4A. The Rams are now on the cusp of being among the elite programs in girls’ volleyball—Benet, New Trier, Mother MacCuley and St. Ignatius.
“Truly it comes down to the girls and the families. They really bought into the culture. Everthing that we have asked of the players and the families, they have bought in. The moment the girls trusted us, it all changed. The sky is the limit for us now. How cool is this event now. Two years in a row. It’s been amazing,” Gajzler said.
“I don’t think there is a secret sauce to it. It’s just every day, every season, you just try to get better. When we first started, it was to win conference in the [GCAC] White. That was our goal—win a few conference matches. Then that became win conference and then that became win regionals.”
Gajzler is the force behind the sunset showdown. Last year after the Nebraska girls’ volleyball team hosted a game in the University of Nebraska’s football stadium to a crowd of 93,000 people, Gajzler pitched the idea of doing the same at DePaul Prep to Athletic Director Patrick Mahoney. Mahoney loved idea even to extent of buying their own outdoor court.
“It’s so cool to see that whole community come out to watch women’s sports. You’re seeing it at the collegiate level; you’re seeing it at the national level. In the last three weeks, you are seeing it in an NFL stadium, an MLB stadium and an NHL stadium college volleyball is being played,” Gajzler said.
