AH Lightning wins silver at Senior Olympics

August 8, 2013

Arlington Heights Lightning, a team of women from ages 70-79 from the northwest suburbs, won a silver medal in the volleyball women's 70+ age division at the National Senior Games (Senior Olympics). The event was held at the new Cleveland, Ohio, Convention Center, July 25-28, 2013.

The women, who met at the Orchard (Evangelical Free) Church of Arlington Heights gym and play at Arlington Heights Frontier Recreation Center,, have been playing casually together for several years. Ray Carlsen was the coach, Blaze Carlsen was the captain and organizer of the team, which played 29 games of volleyball over four days.

Players on the silver medal team included Jan Pihl, Marty Landorf, Sylvia Nolan, and Nancy Thomson from Arlington Heights; Sharan Wagner from Des Plaines; Ellen Sypura from Glenview; and Blaze Carlsen, Poplar Grove, IL, In pool play they earned a 14-5 record, earning the third seed for playoffs.

In their 28th game in their age division (the 11th game of the final day of playoffs ), Lightning's libero, Marty Landorf, a defensive specialist, was injured near the end of the game and was unable to play the final game. The Lightning had to play the first seed, Texas Alamo Stars from the winners bracket. The Lightning defeated the Stars two out of three games to emerge from the losers bracket. However, the Alamo Stars defeated the short-handed Lightning in a one-game playoff to win the gold, relegating the Lightning to the silver medal.

Chicago Heat placed third in the women's 55+ age division . Chicagoland Masters placed fourth in men's 75+ age division.

For more information about the Chicago Heat you can call Janeen Kusch, 847-902-4596.

Lightning Team photo:

Front row l-r: Jan Pihl, Arlington Heights, Marty Landorf, Arlington Heights, Blaze Carlsen, formerly Arlington Heights, (back row - l-r) Sylvia Nolan, Arlington Heights, Nancy Thomson, Arlington Heights, Sharan Wagner, Des Plaines, Ellen Sypura, Glenview.