BRODHEAD - The Monroe Cheesemakers volleyball team came out of the Brodhead Invitational as champions, beating 12 other teams, Saturday.
Monroe won 10 of 12 games overall, going 6-1 in pool play and 4-1 in the Gold Bracket, taking the title over Belleville and Whitewater.
"We've been working very hard this year and it was nice too see it all come together," Cheesemakers head coach Dave Gersbach said. "Last year (when Monroe finished third), we started strong and then petered out. This year we've been getting better with our endur-ance."
In pool play on Court 2, Monroe defeated Madison Memorial in three games, 25-14, 23-25, 15-13; New Glarus in straight sets (25-18, 25-17) and Evansville (25-14, 27-25) to earn its way into the Gold Bracket.
Gersbach held some of his top players from action against New Glarus and Evansville, including George Washington recruit Jamie Armstrong.
"The other girls need to know that they can (win) without Jamie," Gersbach said. "And getting your other players out there was beneficial - they won by themselves."
Armstrong played in the first game of the Evansville match and sat out all of the New Glarus contest. In the tournament, the senior hitter had 39 kills and 11 blocks.
New Glarus beat Evansville 25-20, 25-11, before losing to Monroe and Memorial (25-10, 25-13) to move to the Bronze Bracket.
On Court 1 during pool play, Albany topped Monticello (25-16, 25-16) and Argyle (25-18, 25-17) before losing to Belleville, who made the Gold Bracket, 25-17, 25-13.
"I thought we came out strong and confident," Comets head coach Connie Wunschel said. "We played really well against Belleville, too."
Monticello lost to Belleville, 25-11, 25-15, but defeated Argyle in three games, 25-21, 13-25, 16-14, playing its way into the Bronze Bracket. Argyle lost to Belleville, 25-10, 28-27, and moved onto the Pewter Bracket.
Whitewater came out of Court 3 pool play on top. Juda was swept into the Pewter Bracket, losing to the Whippets, 25-10, 25-18; Brodhead 25-10, 25-5; and Lake Mills 25-15, 25-14. Brodhead, who won the Silver Bracket and went to state in 2008, fell to Whitewater 25-20, 15-25, 15-10, and Lake Mills 25-19, 26-28, 15-10.
"If we beat Lake Mills, we are in a completely different bracket," Cardinals head coach Eric Ebensperger said. "We're young and old. We have moments where we are amazing and others where we fall apart."
Brodhead plays three freshmen on its varsity team, to go along with several upperclassmen.
"We've got a new offense this year, something different than what we've been running. We have people in different positions than they're used to and it's a learning process," Ebensperger said. "But I think we've found something that works."
Argyle won the Pewter Bracket by beating Juda in three tough games, 23-25, 25-22, 15-11, and topping Evansville. Juda beat Evansville 25-14, 25-12 to finish second.
In the Bronze Bracket, Brodhead came out on top. The Cardinals defeated New Glarus 25-11, 25-18 and Monticello 25-18, 25-14. New Glarus then beat Monticello, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13, to take second, while Monticello claimed third place.
In the Silver Bracket, Madison Memorial took first, topping Lake Mills and Albany. Memorial won the invite the last two years. Albany, in its second straight year playing in the Silver Bracket, finished third, falling to Memorial 25-20, 25-12, and Lake Mills 25-16, 25-21.
"I think the long day finally took its toll on the girls," Wunschel said. "We were still diving around, doing well, getting digs, but we just couldn't hit."
In each of its matches, the Comets had multiple girls with over 10 digs. Against Argyle, four girls had double digits in digs, and against Belleville, three players hit that mark. Sydney Bump, who had 41 digs through four of the five matches, had 36 kills overall in the tournament. Courtney Pfeuti had 56 assists on the day.
Monroe defeated Belleville 23-25, 25-8, 15-13 and Whitewater 25-14, 25-10 in the Gold Bracket.
"The girls served really tough all day," Gersbach said. "Especially Jessica Wyssbrod. She was great at the service line all day."
Wyssbrod had 12 aces on the day.
"Hopefully this (invitational) can put us over the edge. We've played several tight matches in conference, and this can only help," he said.
Monroe won 10 of 12 games overall, going 6-1 in pool play and 4-1 in the Gold Bracket, taking the title over Belleville and Whitewater.
"We've been working very hard this year and it was nice too see it all come together," Cheesemakers head coach Dave Gersbach said. "Last year (when Monroe finished third), we started strong and then petered out. This year we've been getting better with our endur-ance."
In pool play on Court 2, Monroe defeated Madison Memorial in three games, 25-14, 23-25, 15-13; New Glarus in straight sets (25-18, 25-17) and Evansville (25-14, 27-25) to earn its way into the Gold Bracket.
Gersbach held some of his top players from action against New Glarus and Evansville, including George Washington recruit Jamie Armstrong.
"The other girls need to know that they can (win) without Jamie," Gersbach said. "And getting your other players out there was beneficial - they won by themselves."
Armstrong played in the first game of the Evansville match and sat out all of the New Glarus contest. In the tournament, the senior hitter had 39 kills and 11 blocks.
New Glarus beat Evansville 25-20, 25-11, before losing to Monroe and Memorial (25-10, 25-13) to move to the Bronze Bracket.
On Court 1 during pool play, Albany topped Monticello (25-16, 25-16) and Argyle (25-18, 25-17) before losing to Belleville, who made the Gold Bracket, 25-17, 25-13.
"I thought we came out strong and confident," Comets head coach Connie Wunschel said. "We played really well against Belleville, too."
Monticello lost to Belleville, 25-11, 25-15, but defeated Argyle in three games, 25-21, 13-25, 16-14, playing its way into the Bronze Bracket. Argyle lost to Belleville, 25-10, 28-27, and moved onto the Pewter Bracket.
Whitewater came out of Court 3 pool play on top. Juda was swept into the Pewter Bracket, losing to the Whippets, 25-10, 25-18; Brodhead 25-10, 25-5; and Lake Mills 25-15, 25-14. Brodhead, who won the Silver Bracket and went to state in 2008, fell to Whitewater 25-20, 15-25, 15-10, and Lake Mills 25-19, 26-28, 15-10.
"If we beat Lake Mills, we are in a completely different bracket," Cardinals head coach Eric Ebensperger said. "We're young and old. We have moments where we are amazing and others where we fall apart."
Brodhead plays three freshmen on its varsity team, to go along with several upperclassmen.
"We've got a new offense this year, something different than what we've been running. We have people in different positions than they're used to and it's a learning process," Ebensperger said. "But I think we've found something that works."
Argyle won the Pewter Bracket by beating Juda in three tough games, 23-25, 25-22, 15-11, and topping Evansville. Juda beat Evansville 25-14, 25-12 to finish second.
In the Bronze Bracket, Brodhead came out on top. The Cardinals defeated New Glarus 25-11, 25-18 and Monticello 25-18, 25-14. New Glarus then beat Monticello, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13, to take second, while Monticello claimed third place.
In the Silver Bracket, Madison Memorial took first, topping Lake Mills and Albany. Memorial won the invite the last two years. Albany, in its second straight year playing in the Silver Bracket, finished third, falling to Memorial 25-20, 25-12, and Lake Mills 25-16, 25-21.
"I think the long day finally took its toll on the girls," Wunschel said. "We were still diving around, doing well, getting digs, but we just couldn't hit."
In each of its matches, the Comets had multiple girls with over 10 digs. Against Argyle, four girls had double digits in digs, and against Belleville, three players hit that mark. Sydney Bump, who had 41 digs through four of the five matches, had 36 kills overall in the tournament. Courtney Pfeuti had 56 assists on the day.
Monroe defeated Belleville 23-25, 25-8, 15-13 and Whitewater 25-14, 25-10 in the Gold Bracket.
"The girls served really tough all day," Gersbach said. "Especially Jessica Wyssbrod. She was great at the service line all day."
Wyssbrod had 12 aces on the day.
"Hopefully this (invitational) can put us over the edge. We've played several tight matches in conference, and this can only help," he said.
