MONROE - Monroe senior Italian exchange student Sara Donvito isn't a stranger to the game of volleyball.
Donvito, who plays on a private club volleyball team in Italy, has made the most of her first chance to play volleyball at the high school level. Donvito, who had 20 digs and five aces as a libero, helped spark the Cheesemakers to a four-game win over Oregon 25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17 Thursday night.
"I think it's better here," Donvito said of playing volleyball affiliated with a high school. "You get to play sports in school. That doesn't happen in Italy."
Monroe coach Dave Gersbach was excited the Cheesemakers (5-9, 1-5 Badger South) were able to win their first conference match.
"It feels good to get the monkey off our back," Gersbach said.
Monroe senior Sarah Kloepping had a team-high 11 kills, including a critical one in the fourth game that gave the Cheesemakers a 10-4 lead. Donvito followed that up with two aces. Monroe sophomore Becca Armstrong had a kill and junior Gracie Schilt scored three consecutive points including a pair of aces to give the Cheesemakers a commanding 15-6 lead.
"Sarah Kloepping has stepped up as an outside hitter and that has allowed us as coaches to use Sara (Donvito) where she belongs," Gersbach said of playing Donvito at the libero position. "She just touches everything. It just takes the steam out of the other team when you have someone who reads so well and attacks everything."
Early on, it appeared the Panthers were the aggressor as they jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first game. Donvito soon changed all that. She scored six straight service points and had two aces to give the Cheesemakers an 11-9 lead. Donvito, whose mother played on the Italian national team, doesn't see any secret to her serving.
"I just hit the ball," she said. "I don't have a routine."
Monroe senior Jaclyn Ditter came through with an ace and Kloepping scored on a kill and tip to spark the Cheesemakers.
The Panthers again jumped out to a 14-10 lead in the second game before the Cheesemakers could rally. Donvito delivered an ace to tie the game at 16. Armstrong followed with a kill to give the Cheesemakers a 17-16 lead. Schilt came through with three straight service points late in the game to give the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead highlighted by junior Kirstie Hinojosa's kill.
After the Panthers won a seesaw third game, the Cheesemakers put it away in the fourth game. The Cheesemakers rode some strong serving to build an insurmountable 20-10 lead in the final game. Monroe senior Abby Jacobson, who had 23 assists, was confident the Cheesemakers could close out the Panthers. She recalled a two-game lead the Cheesemakers had against Monona Grove last week that slipped away.
"I knew we had been in that situation before and we were not going to lose it this time," Jacobson said. "We wanted to win it in four games. We just really clicked. We knew what our jobs and responsibilities were and we were able to execute our plays."
Gersbach was excited with the serving.
"We pushed them deep and we hit them very minimally," he said. "Everyone was hitting their spot, pushing them back on their heels and didn't allow them to get their high-powered offense going."
Donvito, who plays on a private club volleyball team in Italy, has made the most of her first chance to play volleyball at the high school level. Donvito, who had 20 digs and five aces as a libero, helped spark the Cheesemakers to a four-game win over Oregon 25-19, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17 Thursday night.
"I think it's better here," Donvito said of playing volleyball affiliated with a high school. "You get to play sports in school. That doesn't happen in Italy."
Monroe coach Dave Gersbach was excited the Cheesemakers (5-9, 1-5 Badger South) were able to win their first conference match.
"It feels good to get the monkey off our back," Gersbach said.
Monroe senior Sarah Kloepping had a team-high 11 kills, including a critical one in the fourth game that gave the Cheesemakers a 10-4 lead. Donvito followed that up with two aces. Monroe sophomore Becca Armstrong had a kill and junior Gracie Schilt scored three consecutive points including a pair of aces to give the Cheesemakers a commanding 15-6 lead.
"Sarah Kloepping has stepped up as an outside hitter and that has allowed us as coaches to use Sara (Donvito) where she belongs," Gersbach said of playing Donvito at the libero position. "She just touches everything. It just takes the steam out of the other team when you have someone who reads so well and attacks everything."
Early on, it appeared the Panthers were the aggressor as they jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first game. Donvito soon changed all that. She scored six straight service points and had two aces to give the Cheesemakers an 11-9 lead. Donvito, whose mother played on the Italian national team, doesn't see any secret to her serving.
"I just hit the ball," she said. "I don't have a routine."
Monroe senior Jaclyn Ditter came through with an ace and Kloepping scored on a kill and tip to spark the Cheesemakers.
The Panthers again jumped out to a 14-10 lead in the second game before the Cheesemakers could rally. Donvito delivered an ace to tie the game at 16. Armstrong followed with a kill to give the Cheesemakers a 17-16 lead. Schilt came through with three straight service points late in the game to give the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead highlighted by junior Kirstie Hinojosa's kill.
After the Panthers won a seesaw third game, the Cheesemakers put it away in the fourth game. The Cheesemakers rode some strong serving to build an insurmountable 20-10 lead in the final game. Monroe senior Abby Jacobson, who had 23 assists, was confident the Cheesemakers could close out the Panthers. She recalled a two-game lead the Cheesemakers had against Monona Grove last week that slipped away.
"I knew we had been in that situation before and we were not going to lose it this time," Jacobson said. "We wanted to win it in four games. We just really clicked. We knew what our jobs and responsibilities were and we were able to execute our plays."
Gersbach was excited with the serving.
"We pushed them deep and we hit them very minimally," he said. "Everyone was hitting their spot, pushing them back on their heels and didn't allow them to get their high-powered offense going."
