Boys volleyball: Stevenson downs Lake Zurich to claim Lake County crown
Day two of the Lake County boys volleyball Invite had a very simple premise for the eight teams that had advanced to Saturday's championship bracket.
That was to wake up early to make the trek to Grant High School in Fox Lake to play the first of what would be 3 matches needed to emerge as this year's champion.
And after North Suburban Conference members Stevenson and Lake Zurich both survived and advanced from their first two contests that featured each squad having persevered through a challenging three-game triumph, they were prepared to take to the Benedetti Center main court for the final.
When it was all said and done, the Patriots proved they had a little bit more left in the tank as it swept the Bears 25-22 and 25-23 in a pair of hard fought games to take the championship plaque back to Lincolnshire.
"I'm really proud of these guys for hanging in there," Stevenson coach Eric Goolish said of his team going a perfect 5-0 over the two-day period.
"It's been challenging. They've stuck together. They've been flexible on doing what we asked. Our lineups (due to injury) have changed very often, but they know we trust in them and believe in them and they know to be ready."
All of which for Goolish and the Patriots (13-6) came into focus in the first game as it saw an early 12-3 lead go by the wayside as the Bears (12-2) slowly clawed their way back into the contest to pull to within 22-20.
Six-foot-3 senior setter Dulguun Ankhbayar set up a pair of kills by his senior squadmate 6-5 OH Matthew Okladlo and fellow setter 6-2 junior Zolbayar Munkbhat to earn the win.
Game two would turn into a test of endurance for both teams as neither team could pull away. Neither club would not get higher than a 3-point lead that included a 24-21 Patriot lead following a pair of Lake Zurich returns that went out of bounds.
However, LZ would not go away quietly as it scored a pair to close within 24-23 highlighted by a Wyatt Jones kill before an invalid serve by the Bears turned into match point leaving Munkbhat and his teammates both pleased and relieved.
"I feel so good (that) we got the championship. I can't believe it," said Munkbhat, who finished the final with 5 kills, 7 assists, and a block.
"That game was incredible. It was a tough match. We had good passes, good sets, and good hits. We're one team, one goal. Everyone plays so hard. We trust each other."
Okladlo's 9 kills and a block led the way for the Patriots followed by 6-5 sophomore MH Jatin Murukuti's 7 kills and 3 blocks and Ankhbayar's 4 kills and 5 assists.
Six-7 senior MB Kuba Rytel's 6 kills led the way for Lake Zurich followed by senior teammate 6-4 hitter Gabe Schwartz's 5 kills as they went 4-1 for the weekend.
"To go into a tournament final 4-9 is nothing but a positive," Bears coach Brent Stuart said.
"Most all of them play on the same club teams, so a lot of familiarity there. We just came up short. It was a valuable learning experience."