Hersey 1, Lake Zurich 0

Kathryn Korff believed any of her Hersey teammates could have used their heads the way she did Friday.

But the 5-foot-10 Korff's header off a Kristen Gierman corner kick 1:16 before halftime was all third-seeded Hersey needed for another historic victory in the Class AA Lake Zurich girls soccer regional championship.

Hersey (17-2-4) notched its 15th shutout and first regional title with a 1-0 win that ended the coaching career of Lake Zurich's Pete Ternes.

"It's just so great," Korff said of adding to Hersey's school record for wins that includes its first Mid-Suburban League title. "It's such an amazing feeling."

Hersey advanced to Tuesday's 7 p.m. Palatine sectional semifinal against the seventh-seeded hosts, who beat No. 2 Lake Forest for the Vernon Hills regional title.

But it wasn't easy for the Huskies as they knocked off a 10th-seeded Lake Zurich (5-8-9) program looking for its seventh straight regional title.

"From now on it's a battle of survival," said Hersey coach Brad Abel. "We finally got a good seed and we play one of the storied programs (in the area). We knew they were a lot better than a 10th seed. At other sectionals they'd be a two or three seed."

Lake Zurich players continually shouted "no corners" because of Hersey's proficiency on the set piece.

But a yellow card late in the first half and Gierman's free kick from 65 yards set up Hersey's second corner kick chance. Gierman sent a corner into the wind and Korff connected off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net.

"Gierman had an amazing corner kick and it happened to come to me," Korff said. "I made a run there and everyone made a run. It would have happened to anyone but I just happened to be there."

Lake Zurich's best chance came eight minutes into the second half. Senior Kate Tarquino's 26-yard blast off a free kick smacked off the crossbar and the rebound chance sailed high.

"I thought we played our hearts out today and we improved so much during the season," said Tarquino, one of three senior starters. "I thought we played a good game and fought a good fight."

But Hersey's defense of Rosie White, Gierman, Korff, Andrea Perkins, Amanda Slove and keeper Julia Fredian made 1 goal enough.

"Our back line is so strong together," Korff said.

Ternes resigned after nine years in charge of the Bears' girls program to spend more time with his family and two young children.

"It hit me when I was standing there talking to the girls," said Ternes, who led the Bears to second place in the state in 2003 and thirds in 2002 and 2004. "I started to get choked up and it was sinking in a little bit. This program has a lot of pride and a lot of tradition."