Midseason Report: Fox Valley Conference

Rachel Kass September 24, 2021 @ 01:41 PM

Fond du Lac is looking very good this year. They are playing high-level volleyball and bringing home some great wins. They have swept Appleton West and Hortonville in conference play. Seniors Gianna Trotter Gianna Trotter 5'11" | OH Fond du Lac | 2022 State WI and Calli Haus Calli Haus 5'8" | OH Fond du Lac | 2022 State WI lead the team in kills and attempts. Sophomore setter Jillella Smit already has over 300 assists on the season. Fellow sophomore libero Victoria Petrinski has racked up over 31 aces, 158 digs, and 188 service receptions. This Fond du Lac roster is deep and has a lot of major contributors across the board including Lauren Grier (2023) and Olivia Dilling (2022). It will be fun to see them match up with other highly ranked programs in their conference.

Kimberly (4-0 conference record, 15-7 season record)

Kimberly has beaten Hortonville, Appleton East, and Appleton North. Their 5 set thriller against North opened conference play for Kimberly and set a great pace for their season. They are currently ranked 9th in the state by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association. Kaitlin Schulz Kaitlin Schulz 6'0" | OH Kimberly | 2023 State WI (2023), Ella Buddenhagen Ella Buddenhagen 5'11" | OH Kimberly | 2022 State WI (2022), and Kyla Dunaway Kyla Dunaway 6'4" | RS Kimberly | 2023 State WI (2023) have dominated on offense for the Papermakers. Ava Rank Ava Rank 5'5" | DS/L Kimberly | 2023 State WI (2023) is a key athlete on defense and serve receive. Her scrappy yet consistent play has been imperative for the success of this team. Junior setter Macy Herman Macy Herman 5'11" | S Kimberly | 2023 State WI is the key to the running of this smooth and fast offense. She has great tempo and near-perfect accuracy on the ball. This team is very well-rounded and has impactful players in every position.

Appleton North (3-1 conference record, 23-3 season record)

Appleton North is coming off of an alternate season State Championship run and is looking to do the same this fall. They have one of the most talented teams in the state and are ranked 2nd in the state by the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association. Their only losses have come from Kimberly (ranked #9), Brookfield Central (ranked #5), and Oconomowoc (ranked #1). Senior outside hitter Brianna Cantrell (committed to East Tennessee State University) is lethal on offense in both the front and back row. She can earn kills from literally anywhere on the court. Fellow senior and libero Madisen Miller Madisen Miller 5'8" | DS/L Appleton North | 2022 State WI has some of the best ball control on serve receive in the state. Setters Emerson Van Lannen Emerson Van Lannen 5'10" | S Appleton North | 2024 State #144 Nation WI (2024) and Ella Weber Ella Weber 5'5" | S Appleton North | 2023 State WI (2023) had huge shoes to fill after Brooke Bolwerk Brooke Bolwerk 5'6" | S Appleton North | 2021 State WI graduated in 2021, but have stepped up as leaders and have set a great pace for this incredibly talented team.

Kaukauna (3-1 conference record, 14-6 season record)

Kaukauna’s only conference loss right now is to Appleton North. They received honorable mention this week in the Division 1 rankings from the WVCA for their play so far this season. Taylor Tetzlaff Taylor Tetzlaff 6'0" | OH Kaukauna | 2023 State WI (2023), an explosive pin hitter, has raked in almost 150 kills this season. Junior libero, Paige Miller Paige Miller 5'10" | DS/L Kaukauna | 2023 State WI is top-ranked in here class and nearly impossible to get a kill or ace on. She also has a powerful serve and leads her team in aces this season. Senior middle hitter Olivia Van Zeeland is explosive on blocking and earns a fair number of kills as well. She is an asset both offensively and defensively on the net. Setters Madelyn Agen Madelyn Agen 5'9" | S Kaukauna | 2023 WI (2023) and Madison Tripp (2025) are playing great volleyball and providing plenty of opportunities for their hitters to execute on the court.