MONROE - The Monroe girls volleyball team is still looking to click on all cylinders and pick up its first win.
The Cheesemakers (0-6, 0-1 Badger South) finished the Monroe Invitational 0-5 Saturday. The Cheesemakers lost a heartbreaking three-set match to Reedsburg 24-26, 23-25, 15-17. The Cheesemakers jumped out to an 8-5 lead over the Beavers in a decisive third game after three consecutive service points from junior Gracie Schilt. Monroe senior outside hitter Jaclyn Ditter came through with back-to-back kills late in the game to give the Cheesemakers a 13-10 lead. That's when Reedsburg battled back.
The Beavers tied the game at 15 on a kill by sophomore Beth Maenpaa. Reedsburg junior Annie Gallagher delivered a kill and junior Teisha Grundahl came through with an ace to stun the Cheesemakers.
"It took a lot of wind out of our sails," Monroe coach Dave Gersbach said of the loss to the Beavers. "We were really deflated after that. We really should have won that. I think one of the things we have been working on is closing out matches. We still need to work on that again."
Gersbach wants to get back to the fundamentals.
"I just tried to push them too hard at first to run a fast paced offense," he said. "We just need to get back to the basics a little bit more. I wanted them to be more aggressive than we were ready for."
Monroe senior Sarah Kloepping had two aces in the first game against Wisconsin Heights to spark the Cheesemakers to an early 10-7 lead. Despite three service errors in the first game, the Cheesemakers led the Vanuards 12-10. The turning point in the first game was the serving of Wisconsin Heights junior Kelsey Smith who scored four straight points including three aces to give the Vanguards an 18-13 lead they would never relinquish.
"I wished we would have showed up," Gersbach said of the match against Wisconsin Heights. "We are usually pumped up against Heights. We need to get some fire."
The Vanguards jumped out to a 13-7 lead in the second game. Ditter scored three straight service points and had an ace to pull the Cheesemakers within 18-13, but that's as close as they would get.
"We haven't seen many of these teams," Ditter said. "We didn't know what to expect because of some of the seniors leaving."
The Cheesemakers lost to Madison West 17-25, 20-25. Royall defeated the Cheesemakers 25-22, 25-22. Richland Center knocked off the Cheesemakers in two sets 25-13, 25-12. Ditter is aware of what the Cheesemakers need to improve on the court.
"We had a little bit of communication errors," she said. "We need better communication as a whole. Since we are a new team people are getting adjusted to each other. We are getting better every game we play."
The Cheesemakers will host Stoughton Tuesday in a Badger South match.
"With the lineup we have, we have good players across the board," Gersbach said. "We are still trying to find the right chemistry to click. I think we will be ready to go against Stoughton on Tuesday."
The Cheesemakers (0-6, 0-1 Badger South) finished the Monroe Invitational 0-5 Saturday. The Cheesemakers lost a heartbreaking three-set match to Reedsburg 24-26, 23-25, 15-17. The Cheesemakers jumped out to an 8-5 lead over the Beavers in a decisive third game after three consecutive service points from junior Gracie Schilt. Monroe senior outside hitter Jaclyn Ditter came through with back-to-back kills late in the game to give the Cheesemakers a 13-10 lead. That's when Reedsburg battled back.
The Beavers tied the game at 15 on a kill by sophomore Beth Maenpaa. Reedsburg junior Annie Gallagher delivered a kill and junior Teisha Grundahl came through with an ace to stun the Cheesemakers.
"It took a lot of wind out of our sails," Monroe coach Dave Gersbach said of the loss to the Beavers. "We were really deflated after that. We really should have won that. I think one of the things we have been working on is closing out matches. We still need to work on that again."
Gersbach wants to get back to the fundamentals.
"I just tried to push them too hard at first to run a fast paced offense," he said. "We just need to get back to the basics a little bit more. I wanted them to be more aggressive than we were ready for."
Monroe senior Sarah Kloepping had two aces in the first game against Wisconsin Heights to spark the Cheesemakers to an early 10-7 lead. Despite three service errors in the first game, the Cheesemakers led the Vanuards 12-10. The turning point in the first game was the serving of Wisconsin Heights junior Kelsey Smith who scored four straight points including three aces to give the Vanguards an 18-13 lead they would never relinquish.
"I wished we would have showed up," Gersbach said of the match against Wisconsin Heights. "We are usually pumped up against Heights. We need to get some fire."
The Vanguards jumped out to a 13-7 lead in the second game. Ditter scored three straight service points and had an ace to pull the Cheesemakers within 18-13, but that's as close as they would get.
"We haven't seen many of these teams," Ditter said. "We didn't know what to expect because of some of the seniors leaving."
The Cheesemakers lost to Madison West 17-25, 20-25. Royall defeated the Cheesemakers 25-22, 25-22. Richland Center knocked off the Cheesemakers in two sets 25-13, 25-12. Ditter is aware of what the Cheesemakers need to improve on the court.
"We had a little bit of communication errors," she said. "We need better communication as a whole. Since we are a new team people are getting adjusted to each other. We are getting better every game we play."
The Cheesemakers will host Stoughton Tuesday in a Badger South match.
"With the lineup we have, we have good players across the board," Gersbach said. "We are still trying to find the right chemistry to click. I think we will be ready to go against Stoughton on Tuesday."
