LZ rises to the occasion at Fremd
Evidently, Lake Zurich's girls volleyball team was just waiting for the big stage.
After dropping a three-game match to Fremd in the Vikings' auxiliary gymnasium during the Early Bird Classic three weeks ago, the Bears were back in Palatine on Wednesday .
This time, the nonconference match was held in the main gymnasium and the Bears were up the task with a 25-16, 22-25, 25-18 victory.
"Since that loss to Fremd, we just thought about how we have to work harder in practice," said Bears three-sport standout sophomore Amanda Orchard (softball and basketball), who worked her way to a double-double on Wednesday with 10 kills and 10 blocks. "We've been really charged up in practice since then and working so much harder."
The Bears (6-3) were charged up in Game 1 when three-year Jenn Grunden helped them pull away with 8 straight service points (including 3 aces) for an 18-10 lead.
The senior outside hitter also finished with a double-double (match-high 11 kills and 20 digs)."
"We are playing like a team now," said Grunden, a senior co-captain along with classmate Brittany Murawski (7 kills, 15 digs, 5 aces). "It's all coming together and we're all able to put the ball down."
Senior Alex Karigan, who coach Matt Aiello said had a "great match," also tossed in 3 kills with 14 digs and 10-of-13 serve receiving.
Junior Alexis Hartman (15 assists) and senior Monica Kloep (11 assists) directed the Bears' offense.
Sophomore libero Ali Summers ws 4-of-4 serve receiving while senior middle Audrey Bauer collected 7 blocks and served a pair of aces.
"The girls have been getting better on their own in practice," Aiello said. "Honestly, when we they out it all together, they are going to be unstoppable. I know that is a big statement to make, but I 've got a ton of confidence in these girls."
Fremd battled back in Game 2.
Back-to-back aces by Rebecca Bagg put the Vikes (8-3) ahead 21-18. They wrapped it up at 25-22 on a kill by senior Elizabeth Dotson.
Game 3 was tight throughout before the visitors pulled away by scoring the final 5 points. Orchard served for 4 of those points, including an ace and a block by Karigan.
Making her first appearance in more than a week after suffering a wrist injury, Fremd senior Colleen Andersen led Fremd with 5 kills, followed by Alex Messner (4) and Dotson (4). Kayla Price handed out 10 assists while Lena Brottman and Bagg each had 2 aces.
"I thought Colleen played pretty well considering she had not touched a ball for a while," said Vikings coach Curt Pinley, whose club hosts Palatine today.
Dotson led the Vikings with 3 blocks while Price and Jessi Wiedemann each had 1. Allison Grzesik led the hosts with 15-of-16 serve receiving followed by Messner (14-of-16) and Brottman (12-of-13).
"Matt (Aiello) has a good team," Pinley added. "He always has his players well-prepared and they were very well-prepared in Game 1. We had a good Game 2. Then in Game 3 it was just a matter of who blinked first and we happened to be first.
"If we wanted a good tuneup (for today's match with Palatine), this would be it. We got to learn some things playing with Colleen out there again. I think we are in a pretty good position going into our next match"