Unforgettable Performances at WIAA State: Division 2

Belle was dominant in both the semifinal and championship matches. She was confident, gritty, and never gave up on a ball. Belle’s serve receive was a huge asset to the Xavier Hawks, and her passes kept her setter in system most of the time.  She controlled the backcourt like a pro and earned all-tournament team for her efforts.

Halle was an energizer and motivator on the court. She made some HUGE plays and had a very high hitting percentage. Halle has an explosive approach and huge vertical. Her ball control and court awareness are high-level. Halle led the team in kills and hitting percentage and was another all-tournament team selection.

Anni was dynamite in the championship match. She got half of her teams hitting attempts and earned 21 kills while maintaining a hitting percentage of 0.269. She also was key on defense and serve receive for Sauk Prairie. Anni is a very competitive and passionate athlete who manufactured points throughout the tournament and impressed in every rotation.

Jozie had the next highest number of kills for Sauk Prairie in the state championship match. Where she really shined was in the back row. Jozie was a leader on defense and serve receive and got a high volume of balls in the back row. She was consistent, scrappy, and aggressive across the back line and kept many balls alive that were incredibly tough.

It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to see Hannah play and wow did she impress me. She seemed to do a bit of everything on her team. She set when she was in the back row and hit through the front. Hannah also played gritty defense and got a touch on nearly every ball that came over the net. In Wisconsin Lutheran’s four set semifinal match, Hannah had 15 kills, 15 assists, and 23 digs.

Kati has a lot of experience on the court. The UW-Milwaukee commit won a national championship earlier this year with her Sting 17 Gold team. She is cool under pressure and plays aggressive in the back court. Kati has no hesitation throwing herself across the court for a ball and is a leader for her team.

Amelia really stood out to me on the court. She was consistent and a leader. Amelia is a talented setter who also contributed numerous digs as well. She is an all around athlete with a lot of potential.

Annika played incredibly well in both matches of the state tournament. She is a six-rotation pin for Xavier and a very well-balanced athlete. Annika had 10 kills, 8 digs, and 2 aces in the championship match. She also did not have a single reception error, a huge accomplishment for such a tough match up. Annika has a ton of potential and is a fun athlete to watch.

Alexis caught my eye as a well-rounded athlete with a competitive nature and great leadership qualities. She played all six rotations for Sauk Prairie as a setter and right side. Alexis moved the ball around well and had 23 assists, 15 digs, and two aces in the championship match. She is efficient, fast, and athletic.