Girls volleyball: Fremd tops Hersey again
Less than eight days ago, Fremd's girls volleyball team won its first Mid-Suburban League championship since 2009.
On Thursday night, the Vikings won their first regional championship since that same year.
In a rematch of the Mid-Suburban League championship, No. 10-seeded Fremd produced a 25-19, 25-23 triumph over No. 2 Hersey to win the Class 4A Evanston regional.
The (29-8) advance to Tuesday's semifinal of the Glenbrook South sectional to face No. 6 Prospect (26-11).
Ysabel Lee and Bailey Hooker each put down 8 kills and Sara Ganas had 4 to lead the Vikings to their sixth regional crown under coach Curt Pinley and the eighth in school history.
Ganas' kill made it 24-18 in the first set and Hooker finished it with a tip.
One of Kailyn Bryk's 2 block kills gave Fremd a 12-5 lead in set two. The Vikings led 21-12 but Hersey began to charge back and got to within 22-18.
Fremd junior Jess Mazur put down a kill to make it 23-18.
Fremd led 24-21 when Hersey survived 2 match points before Bryk put down the match winner.
Natalie Freund was 63-of-63 setting the Vikes' attack with 23 assists while teammate Karolina Sas collected 16 digs and served 2 aces.
Sas was also 11-of-12 serve receiving followed by Hooker (10-of-12) and Becca Uhrich (6-of-6).
Hersey (27-10) was led on attack by senior Zoe Strozewski (8 kills), freshman Kati Kaburov (5 kills) and sophomore Alessia Olhava (3).
Maggie Reisel was 76-of-76 setting with 21 assists and she served 4 aces. The back row was led by Amy Morgan (9 digs), Reisel (9), Liz Solans (8) and Emma Frankiewicz (7).
"We fought to the finish with a big come back in the second game but came up just short," said Hersey coach Nancy Lill.
"Fremd played great defensively and made big plays to win the match. I am very proud of our team and all they accomplished this year. We are losing eight wonderful seniors who have left their mark at Hersey."
Palatine d. Lakes: No. 4-seeded Palatine (32-5) won its 12th regional and first since 2012 with a 25-19, 25-16 win over No. 5 Lakes (25-11) at the Class 4A Waukegan regional championship.
The Pirates face top-seeded Libertyville in the Lakes sectional semifinal at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Carrie Chaplinsky (12 kills), Brooke Bauer (5) and Haley Holz (3) led the Pirates on attack while Sydney Christiansen handed out 22 assists.
Alyssa Kornberg led the back row with 13 digs while Chaplinsky had 10. Beverly Ryan led the Pirates with 4 blocks.
McKenna Lahr had 8 kills and 8 digs for No. 5 Lakes while Katie Billetdeaux pounded 6 kills.
St. Viator defeated Regina: St. Viator won its second straight Class 3A regional title under coach Charlie Curtin and fifth in school history with a 25-19, 18-25, 25-12 triumph over host Regina in Wilmette.
The No. 3 Lions will play No. 2 Carmel in a 6:30 p.m. semifinal at the Woodstock sectional on Tuesday.
Catherine Hickey (12 kills) Kendall Claffey (9) and Michaela Mueller (5) and Katie Kerrigan (5) led the attack set by Mueller (27 assist). Carrie Leazer recorded 23 digs while Kaylee Liberty had 11. Kerrigan (3) and Kate Nottoli (2) led in blocks.
Schaumburg Christian d. NSCD: Schaumburg Christian won its second straight Class 1A regional title by defeating host North Shore Country Day School (Winnetka) 25-12, 25-13.
Senior Jordan Lempa started the match with 4 consecutive service points SCS never trailed. Senior Bailey Cummings had 7 kills in the first set. Courtney Benson added 5 kill while freshman middle blocker Morgan Freeman had 9 blocks.
Veronica Woods had 4 kills in the match and Jordan Lempa had 18 assists.
Schaumburg Christian faces (Chicago) St. Benedict at the Westminster Christian (Elgin) sectional semifinal on Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Schaumburg Christian coach Alice Cummings is 42-17 in two years and 13 of the losses are 3A and 4A programs.
Whitney Young d. Leyden: No. 4 seeded Whitney Young won the championship of the Little Village (Chicago) Class 4A regional with a 25-15, 23-25, 25-12 victory over No. 12 Leyden.