Thornton Fractional United (TFU) faced a challenging opponent in Homewood-Flossmoor during the IHSA Class 4A Regional Semifinal on Tuesday night, ultimately losing 2-0. The match was characterized by TFU's determined effort against a formidable team.
TFU entered the game with momentum from consecutive victories, including a decisive 2-0 win over Eisenhower. Despite being considered underdogs, TFU began the match with vigor, establishing a 9-4 lead thanks to notable performances by junior setter Yahir Silva and senior middle hitter Rodrigo Cortez.
Silva said, "We came in thinking, let’s prove we belong. We wanted to shake things up and show we can compete with the best." According to Silva, their intention was to demonstrate their capability against top-tier teams.
The first set saw TFU maintaining the lead for most of the duration until Homewood-Flossmoor, led by senior Kendell Pace, staged a comeback to secure a 25-19 victory. In the second set, despite TFU's continued efforts, the Vikings prevailed with a 25-15 win.
Head coach Mark Misch highlighted TFU's resilience and development throughout the season. "A lot of guys are coming back," Misch said. He emphasized Silva's contribution as a standout player with nearly 300 kills this season and noted that winning their first conference title marked significant progress for the program. Misch added that they are just beginning their journey towards further success.