Lake Zurich's Bauer stands tall
Occasionally the thought will occur to Lake Zurich volleyball coach Matt Aiello:
How good would senior setter Lydia Bauer be if she made volleyball her only sport?
The 6-foot Bauer was a four-year varsity volleyball player at Lake Zurich, but her No. 1 sport was always basketball. She played basketball in the winter, spring and summer, leaving no time for club volleyball. Bauer will play college basketball next year at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
"If volleyball was her first sport, she could literally be setting at a Big Ten school next year," Aiello said.
Even with volleyball as her second sport, Bauer did just fine. In fact, after a superb senior season she was selected as the captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area Team.
Opponents never knew if Bauer would take a pass and set it or hit it. She finished the season with 481 assists and 115 kills. She defended the net more like a middle blocker than a setter. Bauer helped Lake Zurich post the area's best record (33-4).
The success this season was especially meaningful for Bauer because she still remembers how much the team struggled two years ago.
"All the seniors were on that team sophomore year and we all went through that together," Bauer said. "It was very rewarding to finish off senior year with such a good record. We know how far we came from two years ago."
After logging time at outside hitter as a freshman, Bauer was surprised when Aiello wanted her to switch to setter as a sophomore. She ran a 6-2 offense the last two years before setting all the way around for the first time as a senior.
"I had to work on fundamentals junior year, but this season it was a lot easier," she said. "I was able to adjust to my hitters and it was a smother transition."
Bauer, a lefty, really developed her jump setting. This made it easier for her to hit at the last second and also keep the blockers guessing.
"She was able to use her athleticism to disguise her sets," Aiello said. "She could turn quickly and (hit) when she wanted to. Even though she didn't have a lot of (setting) experience, she could read the other side of the court unbelievably well."
Did she enjoy the chance to hit more?
"It was nice to know I could still hit," she said. "That's one of the best parts of volleyball."
Senior Amber Miehlke, Lake Zurich's top hitter, enjoyed working with Bauer.
"We always had a good connection," Miehlke said. "Her sets were always easy for me to hit, and (teams) had to watch out for her. It was almost like having a fourth hitter at the net."
About the only disappointments for the Bears this season were losses to Stevenson in NSC Lake Division play and St. Viator in the regional championship.
"We had a really good chance of going far, and it was disappointing not to," Bauer said. "But upsets are part of life. There's not much you can do about it afterword."
Bauer's perspective and ability to look at the big picture comes primarily from basketball, and also from lessons learned on the softball field.
And a loss in any sport motivates her.
"I've never been one for individual sports," she said. "I love that (volleyball) is a team sport. I think winning as a team is one of the best feelings there is."
Her drive was not lost on Aiello.
"She almost smiles when teams challenge her," he said. "I'm going to miss her competitive edge."
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