Watershed moment for Lakes at Wauconda
A Lakes volleyball player forgot her water bottle in Wauconda’s gym, so as the team bus idled, Rachel Sieracke took the opportunity before grabbing a warm seat to dish out another assist.
The senior setter/middle hitter set out to help her teammate retrieve the missing water bottle.
Sieracke had just helped Lakes outlast Wauconda 25-18, 22-25, 28-26 in the two teams’ North Suburban Prairie Division opener, marking the first time in her four seasons on varsity that the Eagles had defeated the Bulldogs.#147;I still have goose bumps,#148; said a wide-smiling Sieracke, whose block ended the match. #147;This was our one game that we knew was going to be a really tough competition. We know Wauconda is the team to beat this year (in the NSC Prairie).#148;At 4-0, Lakes is off to the best start in its seven years as a varsity program.
#147;Talk about a heart-pounding game,#148; Eagles coach Molly May said. #147;I feel like I just played.#148;
#147;It was a great match,#148; said Wauconda coach Bob Taterka, whose Bulldogs served for match point three times. #147;Lakes is a dynamic team and they#146;re going to take a lot of matches from a lot of teams. People better see them coming because they play some really good volleyball.#148;
Wauconda (5-5) won a sectional championship last season with a group that includes returning starters Megan Tallman, Erinn Hellweg and Ali Morrison. But the Bulldogs made a significant change heading into the season, switching to a 6-2 offense after running a 5-1 for #147;10 years,#148; Taterka said.
Tallman is the key piece. The athletic junior setter, who committed to Indiana University this summer, is playing outside hitter when she#146;s in the front row. She gives the Bulldogs a player who can #147;terminate the volleyball,#148; as Taterka puts it.
Tallman had 10 kills against Lakes, 2 fewer than Hellweg#146;s team-best 12. Morrison added 4 kills and 3 aces.
Sophomore and varsity rookie Susan Karhoff sets when Tallman doesn#146;t.
Tallman also delivered 6 aces, while libero Rebecca Thiltgen recorded 18 digs. Emily Holub had 7 blocks.
#147;We obviously have some things we have to work on,#148; Taterka said. #147;But I#146;m very pleased. I didn#146;t think we#146;d be this far along 10 matches into the season.#148;
Lakes needed a complete team effort in the end. With Eagles junior middle Shannon Grant needing to come off the floor after her foot was giving her problems late in Game 3, May went to her bench. The coach called on junior setter Stephanie Reed to serve and junior right side Kim Olson to play the front row.
#147;We threw them in and they totally overcame the adversity,#148; May said. #147;It was awesome.#148;
Lakes junior outside hitter Emily Aigner continued her strong early-season play. The varsity newcomer pounded 14 kills and delivered 2 aces.
#147;Over club season, she improved tremendously,#148; Sieracke said. #147;Her game quadrupled in skill. She#146;s come out to be our power hitter this year.#148;
Another power player, Sarah Horner (8 kills, 3 aces), and Alex Silvola also played well for Lakes.
#147;It wasn#146;t going to make or break anything, but we knew this was going to be one of the toughest games of our conference,#148; May said. #147;It was huge to win this game. You got to give credit to both teams.#148;