Carmel is 6-0 against Joliet Catholic since February of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The Carmel Corsairs will head out on the road to face off against the Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers at 7:00 p.m. Carmel is hoping to put an end to a three-game streak of away losses.
Carmel suffered their biggest loss yet this season on Wednesday. They took a serious blow against Nazareth Academy, falling 53-24. While losing is never fun, Carmel can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 58th, while Nazareth Academy is ranked sixth).
Meanwhile, Joliet Catholic's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their fourth straight loss. They took a 67-56 hit to the loss column at the hands of Morris. Having run the score up that high, both teams probably have some extra defensive drills coming up.
Despite their defeat, Joliet Catholic saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Abby Dulinsky, who scored 13 points along with six rebounds and four steals, was perhaps the best of all. Another player making a difference was Emma Birsa, who scored 15 points along with nine rebounds.
Carmel has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 11-8 record this season. As for Joliet Catholic, their loss dropped their record down to 5-18.
Everything came up roses for Carmel against Joliet Catholic in their previous matchup back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 60-30 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Carmel since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
