Girls volleyball: Lake Zurich savors victory at Carmel

Lake Zurich volleyball coach Rachel Wiatrowski was exaggerating.

The veteran coach suggested Tuesday night that it seemed like 18 years since a team of hers beat the Carmel Corsairs in girls volleyball.

While that 18-year figure is not quite accurate, the point holds.

One of the Bears' players, Lexi Gora, noted it hasn't been an easy time playing volleyball in the Carmel gym.

"We've heard that before,'' Gora said.

Fellow Bears senior Hannah Sweetwood certainly appreciated the result.

"Third time is the charm,'' Sweetwood said. "It's the seniors' last hurrah and everybody contributed tonight."

On Tuesday night, it went three sets before the Bears claimed their second win of the season. Lake Zurich prevailed 25-19, 18-25, 25-18 in a nonconference match.

"It's been three years for me here,'' Wiatrowski said.

Set one was all Lake Zurich. On a dump shot from Sweetwood, the Bears led 21-13.

"We've been working really hard,'' Sweetwood said.

The Corsairs (2-2) made some late noise in set one. With Maddie Reuland serving, a kill from Erin Taylor and a serving ace cut the LZ lead to 24-17.

Carmel coach Dave Pazely complimented the Bears on some scrappy defense but couldn't explain how his Corsairs made so many errors in this loss.

"We beat ourselves,'' Pazely said. "There were too many free balls and we watched as another ball went by. But we are still young. We have two sophomore starters."

The Corsairs took advantage of some Lake Zurich mistakes in set two. On a kill from one of those sophomores, Alyssa Dellert, Carmel was on top by 16-11.

"In that second set, they really served us deep,'' Wiatrowski said.

Sweetwood agreed with that assessment.

"We broke down in serve receive,'' Sweetwood said.

There were a few exciting volleys late in second two. Grace Butler, Carmel's 6-foot setter destined to play at Central Michigan next fall, dropped in a kill to give Carmel a commanding 21-13 advantage.

"We finally showed some fight in the second set,'' Pazely said. "We played with passion."

Set three was the closest of the game. It was knotted at 11-11, and on a block from 6-foot-1 Lauren Nelson, it was 15-15.

And then Briana Reitsch went into serve for the Bears. She took advantage of the Carmel defense and a service ace put the Bears up 19-16.

"We started making untimely mistakes,'' Pazely said.

Gora's block kill ended the match in favor of Lake Zurich.

Gora had a double double of 15 kills and 10 digs. Sweetwood checked in with 7 kills and 16 digs.

Butler notched 19 assists and Taylor had 10 kills led the Corsairs.