MONROE - The Cheesemakers couldn't hold a two games-to-one lead on parents' night, falling to Monona Grove in five sets 26-24, 20-25, 28-26, 15-25, 7-15.
"We just flattened out again," Monroe head coach Dave Gersbach said. "We get so close. We're playing together strong as a team. It's a heartbreak to lose on parents' night, especially when we wanted it so bad."
In the third game, Monroe seemed to have turned a corner. Trailing 18-9, the Cheesemakers rattled off a 19-8 run, including scoring 14 of the final 18 points, to snag the win.
"That was a big gut check. They really dug deep and did a great job," Gersbach said. "You just hear good energy from the bench and crowd. We just need to feed off that more."
Behind 2-1 in the match, Monona Grove didn't give up. The Silver Eagles went on a 13-3 run midway through Game 4 to take a 19-9 lead. Not long after, the Cheesemakers found themselves in a pivotal fifth game.
"We have to learn to keep up our momentum and carry it over into the next game," Gersbach said. "This is one we wanted. I don't know if I'd call it a good loss. This is a hurtful loss. We'll learn from it, but I was really hoping we were going to come away with it."
Monroe captured the early momentum as sophomore Becca Armstrong rattled off two of her match-high eight aces in a 4-0 stretch. The Cheesemakers led 5-3 before the Silver Eagles picked up the last swing of momentum, sparked by back-to-back aces by Elizabeth Wendt, who had eight total aces and 30 digs in the match.
"The girls played their hearts out. Monona Grove just really started digging. They did a good job of keeping the ball in play," Gersbach said.
Monroe held the momentum in the first game until a late 9-3 run by Monona Grove gave the Silver Eagles a 24-23 advantage. A block by Armstrong and kills by both Armstrong and senior Jaclyn Ditter closed out the set.
"There's improvements happening. Those young girls are learning. Close games like this, they learn a lot," Gersbach said. "They'll come around. We lost six starters from last year, so it'll take a little time, but we'll get going."
Ditter led Monroe with nine kills while Sarah Kloepping had eight. Ditter also had five digs and a team-high 19 digs. Abby Jacobson had 18 assists to lead the Cheesemakers with teammate Kirstie Hinojosa adding 12.
Danielle Crawford had 17 kills and three blocks for Monona Grove with teammate Nicki Krueger dishing out 41 assists.
Monroe looks to turn things around Saturday at the Brodhead Invitational. Conference play continues Sept. 14 at Fort Atkinson.
"We just flattened out again," Monroe head coach Dave Gersbach said. "We get so close. We're playing together strong as a team. It's a heartbreak to lose on parents' night, especially when we wanted it so bad."
In the third game, Monroe seemed to have turned a corner. Trailing 18-9, the Cheesemakers rattled off a 19-8 run, including scoring 14 of the final 18 points, to snag the win.
"That was a big gut check. They really dug deep and did a great job," Gersbach said. "You just hear good energy from the bench and crowd. We just need to feed off that more."
Behind 2-1 in the match, Monona Grove didn't give up. The Silver Eagles went on a 13-3 run midway through Game 4 to take a 19-9 lead. Not long after, the Cheesemakers found themselves in a pivotal fifth game.
"We have to learn to keep up our momentum and carry it over into the next game," Gersbach said. "This is one we wanted. I don't know if I'd call it a good loss. This is a hurtful loss. We'll learn from it, but I was really hoping we were going to come away with it."
Monroe captured the early momentum as sophomore Becca Armstrong rattled off two of her match-high eight aces in a 4-0 stretch. The Cheesemakers led 5-3 before the Silver Eagles picked up the last swing of momentum, sparked by back-to-back aces by Elizabeth Wendt, who had eight total aces and 30 digs in the match.
"The girls played their hearts out. Monona Grove just really started digging. They did a good job of keeping the ball in play," Gersbach said.
Monroe held the momentum in the first game until a late 9-3 run by Monona Grove gave the Silver Eagles a 24-23 advantage. A block by Armstrong and kills by both Armstrong and senior Jaclyn Ditter closed out the set.
"There's improvements happening. Those young girls are learning. Close games like this, they learn a lot," Gersbach said. "They'll come around. We lost six starters from last year, so it'll take a little time, but we'll get going."
Ditter led Monroe with nine kills while Sarah Kloepping had eight. Ditter also had five digs and a team-high 19 digs. Abby Jacobson had 18 assists to lead the Cheesemakers with teammate Kirstie Hinojosa adding 12.
Danielle Crawford had 17 kills and three blocks for Monona Grove with teammate Nicki Krueger dishing out 41 assists.
Monroe looks to turn things around Saturday at the Brodhead Invitational. Conference play continues Sept. 14 at Fort Atkinson.
