Week 3 - Wisconsin Preview

With a couple weeks in, teams are finding their groove. Most teams have at least one conference match and have a couple tournaments in. Here are 5 events to keep an eye on for the week of August 27th-31st. A weekend preview will come out later this week. <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">WAUNAKEE AT DEFOREST – Thursday, September 6th <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">DeForest (7-5) will host the undefeated Waunakee (15-0) in a conference showdown. They last crossed paths in October, 2017, where Waunakee won in 2 (25-21, 25-21). This may turn into a battle between [player_tooltip player_id="32724" first="Kiana" last="Schmitt"] (2019 - 6’3 – Middle Blocker – Committed to Creighton) and [player_tooltip player_id="32729" first="Sopheea" last="Mink"] (2019 - 6’1 – Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker – Committed to High Point). Waunakee will have [player_tooltip player_id="56006" first="Milla" last="Malik"] (2020 – 5’10 – Outside Hitter – Committed to Buffalo) to provide a 1-2 punch and DeForest will have Heidi Compe (2019 – 5’11 – Middle Blocker – Not Committed) on the front line defense to slow down Waunakee’s fire power. This should be a fun match-up. <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"> <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">DENMARK AT LITTLE CHUTE – Thursday, September 6th <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Denmark (8-3) will go to the home of the undefeated Little Chute Mustangs (12-0) for a conference match-up. Little Chute’s [player_tooltip player_id="10220" first="Hannah" last="Vanden Berg"] (2019 – 5’11 – Outside Hitter – Committed to Marquette) and Denmark’s Brittany Kapla (2021 – Not Committed) will be exchanging kills. Kapla has also been the most effective behind the service line for Denmark. The Mustang’s Gabi Roemer (2019 - Setter – Not Committed) has been putting the pressure on behind the service line, as well as their main distributor with 220 assists so far this season. <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Abby Maricque (2020 – Not Committed) is the main distributor for Denmark but also leads the Viking’s with 11 blocks. Little Chute has their own junior that commands the net in Marley Johnson (2020 – Middle Blocker – Not Committed), but if Johnson doesn’t block it, Katherine Joten (2020 – Libero – Not Committed) will dig it. She currently leads the Mustangs with 119 digs. Denmark will hold their own on defense with Abigail O’Brien anchoring the defense with 124 digs. This should make for a good match. <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"> <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">KETTLE MORAINE AT ARROWHEAD – Tuesday, September 4th <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Arrowhead (15-2) will be hosting Kettle Moraine (5-3) for conference play. It’s no secret that [player_tooltip player_id="10329" first="Aubrey" last="Hamilton"] (2020 – 6’2 – Outside Hitter – Committed to Notre Dame) is the main swing for Arrowhead, but the underdog in this match-up is the Laser’s Maddie Seidenberg (2020 – Outside Hitter – Not Committed), who not only leads her team in kills (71) but also in aces (12). Arrowhead’s leader at the service line (18 aces) is also their main distributor, Emma Ruckstadter (2019 – 5’7 – Setter – Not Committed), currently with 214 assists for the season. Kettle Moraine’s offense is run by Claudia Buchholz (2020 – 5’7 – Setter – Not Committed), while the Laser’s defense is held down by [player_tooltip player_id="33294" first="Hailey" last="Grocholski"] (2020 – Middle Blocker – Not Committed) and Megahn Yaresh (2020 – Defensive Specialist/Outside Hitter – Not Committed). Arrowhead’s defense has been led by Katelyn Sesolak (2019 – 6’3 – Right Side/Middle Blocker – Not Committed) and [player_tooltip player_id="33165" first="Emily" last="Larson"] (2020 – 5’5 – Libero – Not Committed). <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"> <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">CLEAR LAKE AT CLAYTON – Tuesday, September 4th <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Clear Lake (2-2) is a young group that has been on the rise the past few years with a group of juniors that have been pushing this program. The warriors will be led by juniors Julianna Rosen, Maggie Rosen, and Rayne Vangsness against the reigning state champs, Clayton (6-1). The Bears will be led by an experienced group, including [player_tooltip player_id="10237" first="Selena" last="Levendoski"] (2019 – 5’9 – Middle Blocker – Not Committed), who is currently averaging almost 6 kills per set, [player_tooltip player_id="33064" first="Marissa" last="Gilbertson"] (2019 – 5’5 – Setter – Not Committed), and Kailey Ketz (2019 – 5’6 – Outside Hitter – Not Committed). <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"> <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">HARTFORD AT CEDARBURG - Tuesday, September 4th <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Hartford (6-4) will head to Cedarburg (6-1) for a conference showdown, and this will be quite a showdown between the youth of Hartford’s [player_tooltip player_id="57247" first="Riley" last="Hamilton"] (2022 – 5’9 – Outside Hitter – Not Committed) and Cedarburg’s experienced [player_tooltip player_id="56003" first="Kiara" last="Reinhardt"] (2020 – 6’3 – Middle Blocker – Committed to Creighton), who each lead their teams in kills. Reinhardt also provides the first line of defense as she is averaging almost 3 blocks per match. On Hartford’s front line, [player_tooltip player_id="33755" first="Martina" last="McGrath"] (2021 – 6’0 – Middle Blocker – Not Committed) is taking control at the net, and what she doesn’t stop, [player_tooltip player_id="33077" first="Taylor" last="Ohm"] (2019 – 5’7 – Libero – Not Committed) digs. Ohm averages over 7 digs per set and puts the pressure on from behind the service line. <p class="xxmsonormal" style="background: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Cedarburg’s defense is anchored by Stephanie Carr (2019 – 5’6 – Defensive Specialist – Not Committed), and their offense is run by Morgan Harrison (2019 – 5’11 – Right Side/Setter – Not Committed). Hartford has a lot of youth but has senior leaders in Ohm and the main distributor, Carly Skaalen (2019 – 5’6 – Setter – Not Committed). Last year Hartford took 2nd in the North Shore Conference but graduated 7 and returned a few key pieces. This should be an interesting match-up!