Sweeps in Both D2 Semifinals Set the Teams for the State Championship
The Division two semifinals were good ones! And now the championship teams are set. Both semifinals were won in straight sets, though not without massive fights on all sides. The cheering was deafening as the crowds battled back and forth…
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Continue ReadingThe Division two semifinals were good ones! And now the championship teams are set. Both semifinals were won in straight sets, though not without massive fights on all sides. The cheering was deafening as the crowds battled back and forth nearly as much as the athletes on the court did.
Luxemburg-Casco came out hungry for a win and it showed in their sweep of Wisco. They kept a solid six to eight-point lead on Wisconsin Lutheran throughout the first set. Wisco bounced back in the second two sets and made the win very hard for Luxemburg Casco.
On Luxemburg-Casco’s side, Grace Holschuh (Prep Dig Rank #37)was relentless in the front row, finding the nearly nonexistent holes in Wisco’s defense. Holly Baierl looked very comfortable on the big stage at the Resch and brought in some key swings throughout the match. Hannah Derenne put up a massive block, frustrating the Vikings offense. She was also a go-to hitter in the front and back row for setter Rebekah Day (Prep Dig Rank #83). Rebekah is very in tune with her team and uses their strengths to the team’s advantage. Libero Alli Routhieaux runs a smooth and consistent back row with a lot of communication.
Wisconsin Lutheran played gritty throughout the match. They made some incredible digs and defensive plays but had quite a few uncharacteristic missed hits and serves. This is a team that knows how to dig deep and fight with everything they have. Sophomore Grace Schnieder (Prep Dig Rank #68) was effective in the front row as a pin hitter but truly shined with her serve and defense. She made some incredible digs that changed the momentum of the game for the Vikings. Hannah Denk had some well-timed kills usually during long plays. Julia Treichel (Prep Dig Rank #23, Committed to SIU-Edwardsville) was a constant force in the match never seeming flustered, just working to get every single point.
McFarland came in and swept Bloomer. Though the scores don’t necessarily reflect it, Bloomer put up a great fight. On Bloomer’s side of the court, Emma Krejci made some big kills in the middle, she forced McFarland to split their defense and found their holes. Setter Riley Jarr ran the offense very consistently but knew when to throw in a tempo set to speed up the game. Freshman Bella Seibel has a fast swing and used it to her advantage, outpacing the block many times.
McFarland was incredibly consistent. They won the serving game which is how you win matches. Setter Lizzy Fortune (Prep Dig Rank #114) set the pace early on and never let up. Avery Pennekamp (Prep Dig Rank #70) had a huge game, putting down kills like it was her job. She switched up the speed of her swing well and threw of Bloomer’s defense. Libero Erin Eggers (Prep Dig Rank #141)was an energizer on the court. She knew when to slow down and speed up the game with her passes and is incredibly consistent on serve receive. Katie Hildenbrandt had a slow start in the first set but bounced back to have some momentum-changing kills in the final two sets of the game.
Luxemburg-Casco and McFarland will meet tomorrow in the Division 2 Championship match.
The level of play in these semifinals very high and the intensity was electric. Watching how teams perform in a win or go home situation brings a new level to the game of volleyball and all four of these teams stepped up to the plate.