Fremd 12, Prospect 4

Call it a subdued celebration.

With their 22nd consecutive victory and the program's first Mid-Suburban League water polo title Thursday night, the Fremd Vikings took time to applaud their effort and the 12-4 victory over visiting Prospect.

But they definitely weren't reminiscing on what has already been a remarkable season.

"It's a stepping stone," said Fremd coach Brian Newby, whose squad lost to the Wheeling/Prospect co-op 8-3 in its last title game appearance in 2004. "It shows that our program has made the right steps to improve.

"The girls have a goal. They're completely together as a team and have a very good shot at reaching that goal."

But before the top-seeded Vikings (23-1) open sectional play Thursday against Rolling Meadows in search of that goal -- their first state appearance in three years -- they had 28 minutes of work against the East champs (19-5-1).

"I was totally scared before the game," said Fremd junior Danielle Chemello, who recorded a hat trick. "I was expecting it be closer."

So were the Knights. But with a relentless attack that often found Prospect goalie Giovannina Penze alone against 1 or 2 unguarded Vikings, the Knights didn't have much of a chance.

With Fremd already on a man-up possession, sophomore Erika Lauraitis and Chemello were 2 meters out with no one between them and Prospect's all-conference goaltender. Lauraitis took the pass from Chemello and drilled a shot into the top right corner to open the scoring.

"It's really hard to stop the 1-on-none shot," said Prospect coach Dick Mortensen. "(Giovannina) was getting battered."

Fremd junior Allison McCarthy (2 goals) scooped up a missed shot from Lauraitis and buried a goal from 2 meters, junior Katie French (3 goals) tallied a pair in the second quarter and Chemello found the back of the net twice in the final 2:09 as the Vikings' halftime lead expanded to 6-2.

Senior Krysti Ruiz scored both her goals in the second half, and senior Kristine Williams added a score as Fremd recorded 7 unanswered goals over a 15:10 stretch.

"It's a nice feeling to look at the bench and say, "You go in now,'" Newby said.

Freshman Meg Dix scored both of Prospect's first-half goals -- the first a 9-meter shot that cut the Vikings' lead to 3-1. But after her second goal (team-leading 63rd) rushed past junior goalie Kelli DiCanio with 1:43 on the clock, Prospect's offense stalled, even on the man-up possession.

"They took advantage of every advantage they had and we didn't," Mortensen said.