D1 Sectional 5-8 Finals Matchups and Players to Watch

<p>You can check out my breakdown of Finals Matchups and players to watch for Sectionals 1-4 <a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/11/d1-sectional-1-4-finals-matchups-and-players-to-watch/">here. </a> Sectionals 5-8 had some great volleyball in the Sectional Semifinals, with an epic 5-set thriller between Wisconsin Lutheran and Wauwatosa East to head to the Sectional Final. Here is a look at the Sectional Final matchups. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 5: Oconomowoc vs Mukwonago</h2>   <p>This is a rivalry that is sure to deliver on Saturday night. This will be an absolute blow-for-blow match between some of the biggest names in the state. They have seen each other three times this season, and every match went to extra sets. Their conference matchup went to 5 sets, with Oconomowoc squeaking out the win 15-11. </p>   <p>Oconomowoc has the #1 seed, but Mukwonago will be hungry for a win. [player_tooltip player_id='249678' first='Marlee' last='Sivak'] (15 kills) and [player_tooltip player_id='388590' first='Grae' last='Hunter'] (9 kills) are two veteran leaders on offense for this talented team. Grae is incredibly efficient out of the middle. Elizabeth Kwiatkowski has become a huge leader on this team and runs the offense with grit. She had 36 assists, 12 digs, and 5 kills in their Sectional Semifinal matchup. They have some young rising stars in [player_tooltip player_id='497647' first='Charlotte' last='Hayes'], [player_tooltip player_id='509341' first='Madelyn' last='Nelson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='435890' first='Greta' last='Schreiber'], who are all contributing in nearly every match. </p>   <p>Mukwonago has a really solid lineup with great chemistry. Many of these athletes have been on varsity together for several years. [player_tooltip player_id='178034' first='Gabriella' last='Pitcel'] is one of the top athletes in her class and had 23 kills (0.383), 3 aces, 3 blocks, and 9 digs in Mukwonago's win over Sun Prairie West. Kiera Robidoux is one of the grittiest setters around, and she can make nearly any play work. She is also highly defensive. Mukwonago is great in out-of-system situations. [player_tooltip player_id='178257' first='Alexis' last='Gardner'] and [player_tooltip player_id='178031' first='Natalie' last='Powers'] help elevate the defense for Mukwonago to the next level. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 6: Arrowhead vs Hamilton</h2>   <p>Arrowhead and Hamilton have an identical 34-7 record. They played one time, and Arrowhead won 15-13 in the 3rd set. Arrowhead is very well-rounded this year, with six athletes making significant offense contributions. [player_tooltip player_id='178045' first='Myla' last='Unterweger'] is the go-to pin hitter for Arrowhead. [player_tooltip player_id='497922' first='Maren' last='Motz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='277427' first='Claire' last='Wyma'] are also huge contributors on offense. Junior libero Siena Maccudden has been nothing less than impressive from start to finish this season. She has an incredibly high volleyball IQ and rarely makes an error. Setters [player_tooltip player_id='509343' first='Taylor' last='Wold'] and Samantha Durand do a great job spreading the offense and keeping their hitters open. </p>   <p>Hamilton is a team with a lot of fire. They have a big front row and are not afraid to use it. [player_tooltip player_id='178023' first='Brooke' last='Aslakson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='277422' first='Aubrey' last='Hicks'] are highly talented middles who are effective blockers and efficient hitters. [player_tooltip player_id='178247' first='Addison' last='Schoenberger'] provides a spark every time she steps on the court and is very impactful as a right-side hitter. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='249644' first='Brooke' last='Baldwin'] runs the offense like a well-oiled machine. She orchestrates every aspect of the game for Hamilton. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 7: Franklin vs Oak Creek </h2>   <p>Franklin and Oak Creek have a huge volleyball rivalry. They have played twice this year, and Franklin swept both times, but in very tight sets. Franklin has the Marx sisters freshman pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='545503' first='Kaitlyn' last='Marx'], who leads the team in kills, and senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='178043' first='Madison' last='Marx'], who leads the team in aces and assists. Both are key pieces to this very talented team. Ella Jetzer and Cora Johnson are other offensive weapons for the Sabers who make a big impact. Sophomore libero/ds [player_tooltip player_id='509335' first='Jasmine' last='Meyer'] holds the back row steady and is consistent yet relentless in the back row. </p>   <p>Oak Creek has some athletes who can reliably manufacture points in the front row. Isa Ruether, [player_tooltip player_id='249669' first='Lucy' last='Tapp'], and [player_tooltip player_id='376272' first='Ava' last='Turlais'] are each a force in their own respect. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='275798' first='Callie' last='Panasuk'] has a lot of experience and reads incredibly well in the back row. She is a veteran leader. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='202188' first='Julia' last='Erdmann'] is a smooth and savvy setter who has over 500 assists this season. She feeds her hitters dime sets and keeps them swinging at a quick tempo as much as possible. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sectional 8: DSHA vs Wisconsin Lutheran</h2>   <p>There is no denying that DSHA has been absolutely dominant from start to finish this season. Wisconsin Lutheran has battled against some incredibly talented teams and has earned a spot in this Sectional Final. They played once earlier in the season when DSHA swept Wisco. DSHA has an entire roster of talented athletes. Some who impressed me last night against Wauwatosa West were middles [player_tooltip player_id='284007' first='Alyiana' last='McMahon'] and Madeline Jones. They were both efficient and disciplined at the net. [player_tooltip player_id='277439' first='Caroline' last='Abbott'] was impressive to watch as a defensive specialist. She held her serve and put up clean balls on serve receive. </p>   <p>Wisconsin Lutheran won a thriller match against Wauwatosa East. [player_tooltip player_id='435889' first='Gigi' last='Chasco'] was a main player for Wisco. She is a confident leader on the court and can execute in every skill. Lefty right side Emma Trotter manufactured points and came up huge in key moments. She has a high snap that is tough to stop. [player_tooltip player_id='178338' first='Lauren' last='Wigley'] was relentless in the back row. She pursued every ball and never gave up on a play. Her hustle saved numerous points and was fun to watch. I was also very impressed with sophomore pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='487025' first='Nicalai' last='Eismann'], who found the balance between power and smart shots to earn points</p>

You can check out my breakdown of Finals Matchups and players to watch for Sectionals 1-4 here. Sectionals 5-8 had some great volleyball in the Sectional Semifinals, with an epic 5-set thriller between Wisconsin Lutheran and Wauwatosa East to head to the Sectional Final. Here is a look at the Sectional Final matchups.