The pressure is off Mundelein after loss in pool play

Mundelein was feeling the pressure.

Previously unbeaten Mundelein ran into a buzzsaw Friday night in pool play at the Lake County Tournament hosted by Vernon Hills, falling to Highland Park 25-15, 25-14.

“I think the guys were feeling the pressure of going unbeaten up until that point,” Mundelein coach George Dressen said. “They lost their confidence in that match. I hoped they would find their confidence again Saturday.”

Mundelein (13-1), behind seniors Patrick Lentz and Mitchell Baumgartner, bounced back from its Friday night debacle to defeat Zion-Benton 18-25, 25-17, 25-20 and Lake Forest 25-12, 25-21 to finish fifth.

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Beware the Bronco…in 2012.

Barrington coach Rob Ridenour’s team is enduring the usual growing pains that comes with starting four sophomores. The Broncos (9-6) upset No. 3 seed Deerfield 23-25, 25-17, 15-10 in pool play Friday at the Lake County Tournament, but dropped a pair of three-setters to Vernon Hills and Highland Park Saturday.

Players to watch in 2012 include libero Austin Czarnecki, setter Taylor Ganzer and middle blockers Jeff Hochstein (6-foot-4) and Tommy Leonard (6-7). Those four will be joined by junior outside Matt Logue to form a pretty solid nucleus in 2011.

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Warren’s 6-5 senior setter Kyle Schwede will forego college volleyball to attend Purdue University in the fall.

Schwede led Warren to Saturday’s finals of the Lake County Tournament at Vernon Hills, but his 16 assists and two kills weren’t enough to prevent the Blue Devils (9-5) from falling to the hosts 25-21, 25-23.

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Vernon Hills coach Chris Curry insists that 6-2 senior outside Mike Robinson’s improved hitting percentage has a lot to do with Curry’s decision to elevate Robinson’s brother, 6-5 outside Thomas, to the varsity two weeks ago.

Mike Robinson denies his coach’s charge, but said that his brother adds an element to the team that was missing previously.

“He gives us a bigger blocker on the right side,” Mike Robinson said. “We were a little undersized on that side. But no, that doesn’t have anything to do with my hitting percentage.”

Vernon Hills extended its winning streak to 14 by claiming the Lake County Tournament on Saturday.