Lake Zurich gets past Lake Forest

Lake Zurich junior Natalie Gora started out the match slowly, but she ended with a flurry to lead the Bears past Lake Forest 25-20, 27-25 as the Bears won the Class 4A Glenbrook North regional on Saturday.

Gora started the match with 5 straight miscues but finished with 7 kills, 12 digs and 1 block.

“I don't think anybody could have had a worse beginning of a match, and finish the way she did,” Lake Zurich coach Matt Aiello said. “Instead of pouting and getting upset, she went out and played one of the best matches of her career the rest of the match. She came through during some pressure situations, and I can't be more proud of her.”

Junior Amanda Orchard led the Bears in all aspects with 14 kills, serving 8-of-8 and 3 aces with 8 digs.

“We started out slow with some ups and downs,” Orchard said. “We were able to pick it up to win. I think we were too relaxed in the beginning and we picked it up because we knew that this can't be the end of the season.”

Lake Zurich (25-7) captured its second consecutive regional championship and will move on to the Warren sectional next Tuesday.

“It was a great defensive effort as Lake Forest is a great offensive team,” Lake Zurich coach Matt Aiello said. “My girls worked real hard throughout the season to become a very good defensive team.”

In the second game, the teams were tied at 24-24. Lake Forest hit a shot long and Orchard clinched the match with a kill.

In the opening game, Lake Forest sped to a 5-0. Lake Zurich kept chipping away until Gora served an ace to tie the score 5-5.

The two teams kept pounding the ball at each other until they were tied at 17-17.

Lake Forest broke the game to score 6 consecutive points to take a 23-17 lead.

Freshman Ashley Dina served 10-12 with 3 aces while senior Alexis Hartman served 5-of-6 and one ace and contributed 24 assists.

Senior Mary Striedl led Lake Forest with 3 kills and 3 aces and senior Alexandra Funk finished with 6 kills and 3 aces.

Junior Heidi Sierks had 19 assists and Victoria Lanzillotti had 8 digs.

Lake Forest finished its season 23-10.

“It's very disappointing to come that close and a play here and a play there, and we could have won,” Lake Forest coach Ray Werner said. “ I felt that we played wonderful with a lot of pride and showed how hard we worked all season.”