National Club Tournament Success Carries Over For Lake Forest Volleyball

When nine seniors on girls’ volleyball team played on three separate clubs over the summer and qualified for the national tournament, they brought home much more than some individual honors in late June from Atlanta. 

Though they played on different clubs, the experience helped them bond on the high school level this fall. That could lead to a deeper run in the state playoffs beyond . 

“All of us learned to play at a higher level,” said.

Kreb was one of six athletes who played for Net Force. “We will practice that way and play that way (for the Scouts),”  she said.

Kreb joined forces with Mary Gwen Baker, Maggie Jacobson, Carolyn Hopfinger, Meredith Huszagh and Anna Schwartz on Net Force. 

and competed for Rolling Thunder Blue and helped them earn fifth place in the Junior Nationals Gold Division. They both earned all tournament honors. played with them a year ago, but moved to Sky High in the open division this season. 

Not only did Striedl move up a division, she was selected an All American while her new team, Sky High 17 Black, captured the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national championship.

 “The competition and speed of the game is so, so much more,” Striedl said. “You really have to work hard to keep pace.” 

Lake Forest Coach Ray Werner is thrilled to have nine seniors with national tournament experience leading the Scouts this year. Some, like four-year starter Sierks and three-year starters Striedl and Lanzillotti, give him solid hope for the coming year. 

“It’s been a lot of fun putting the pieces together,” Werner said. “Average players just can’t compete. These girls can play.” 

Recognizing they are Scouts first, the nine seniors became each other’s cheering section. “These are our friends,” Sierks said. “If we were free, we would cheer for Mary or Net Force.” 

Kreb remembers everyone’s reaction when Sky High played for the AAU title. “When Mary (Striedl) was in the championship game, all six of us (the Net Force team) came over and cheered,” she said. 

When Striedl decided to move into a more competitive division and a new team, two of her biggest supporters were Sierks and Lanzillotti. They are the first to recognize their Scout teammates’ talent.

“We knew it was important for Mary,” Lanzillott said. 

Sierks said she was sad to lose a club teammate, but glad for Striedl. “This was a good opportunity for her,” she said.

For Sierks, Lanzillotti and Striedl, who will play college volleyball, the national tournament solidified their choices. Striedl will play for the University of Pittsburgh and Sierks will compete at the University of California at San Diego. 

Lanzillotti has narrowed her selection to either Northern Illinois University or the University of Rhode Island. All three athletes are happy the recruiting process is behind them. Recruiters were ever present at the national tournament trying to fill roster spots. 

“It’s brutal,” Striedl said of the procedure. “There are so many e-mails and voice mails to get through.”

She wanted an urban campus with solid academics. Pitt became a good fit. 

Lanzillotti found narrowing her choice to becoming a Husky or a Ram much easier once she learned to differentiate the true interest a school was showing as opposed to treating her like another number. 

“It took getting used to receiving a letter from a school and realizing there were 300 other players getting the same letter,” Lanzillotti said. “I would get rejected and not understand why. When I understood what schools really wanted me, it was easier.” 

Sierks may have had the easiest choice. Both her brothers, Erik Sierks and Mike Sierks, are former Scouts who played for the Tritons. She had a firsthand look before recruiting began.