Greedy Lake Zurich nets Self-centered victory
The Lake Zurich girls volleyball team wrapped up Thursday’s match at Fremd with a Self-made victory.
The Bears were leading 19-15 when junior Layne Self stepped to the service lane.
She would not leave until the match was over.
The 6-foot-1 middle hitter/outside hitter reeled off the final 6 points, including a stretch of four straight aces as the Bears left Palatine with a 25-21, 25-15 triumph.
“I have confidence that I can get it over,” Self said of her jump serve. “I just try to serve aggressively. I always try to go for aces. Sometimes that’s not so good.”
It was all good at the end Thursday as the Bears record improved to 8-3.
“Layne did a really good job serving,” said Bears outside hitter Amanda Orchard (2 aces, 4 blocks), who along with Self and teammate Natalie Gora put down 6 kills. “Her serves are getting better and better every day at practice.”
Junior Amelia Leng added 5 kills for the winners while senior Dori Darras had 3 kills and 3 blocks.
In addition to her serving and attacking, Self also had 3 blocks.
“Layne’s a heck of player offensively,” said Bears coach Matt Aiello. “Hopefully she will start to realize how good she can be. She is one of the best players in the area now, regardless of the position we have her at (middle or outside). She’s learning to hit from the back row, too.”
Lake Zurich’s biggest leads in Set 1 were at 12-6 on an Orchard kill and 24-18 when Daras blocked an over-pass.
Fremd (7-4) held off 3 set points, twice getting blocks from Claire Brady before Lake Zurich won it on a kill by Gora.
“Natalie has been battling away lately,” Aiello said. “She played a really smart game and she’s playing with a lot of confidence.”
Sophomore setter Kristen Walding superbly used all her options and ended up with 25 assists. Libero Ali Summers collected 15 digs.
Set 2 was tied at 6-6 before Gora served for a 10-6 lead, including a pair of aces.
The lead grew to 18-11 but Fremd got back to within 19-15 on an ace by Nicole Obos, block by freshman Lane Hindenburg and kill by Rebecca Clarke.
“I thought Rebecca did a nice job on the outside,” said Fremd coach Curt Pinley. “She is kind of becoming our go-to person and she is responding well.
“And Lane Hindenburg is really beginning to grow as a middle hitter despite how young she is. She had some nice touches on the ball.”
Clarke led the Vikes with 4 kills while Brady had 2. Hindenburg recorded 3 blocks and setter Marilyn Lortz had 2 blocks with 12 assists.
“Lake Zurich puts pressure on you,” Pinley said. “Matt does a great job with the intensity on his team, and when we lost ours, that’s what hurt us.”
Aiello says when his team is “on,” it can play with anyone.
“We’re getting there,” he said.
“We got better this match at playing together,” Orchard said. “We are playing better as a team. It’s going to be a long day (Saturday) at Hersey with five matches. We hope we can push it to the end.”
Providence d. Saint Viator: Providence posted a 25-19, 25-18 triumph over the Lions (5-5), who were led on attack by Lauren Falotico (7 kills, 14 digs), Rachel Horvath (5) and Mary Clearly (2). Emily Williams handed out 13 assists.