MONROE - There were moments that the Monroe High School volleyball team appeared like they were on the brink of forcing a fifth set against Madison Edgewood Thursday.
But the Crusaders rallied in the fourth set to top the Cheesemakers in a Badger South Conference duel 25-18, 22-25, 25-11, 25-17.
Monroe junior Sydney Mathiason had a team-high 15 kills and five blocks. Senior Alicia Kuester had 10 kills and a team-best seven blocks.
"Our net play was probably the best its been all season," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "They have been playing more consistent. It's not going to happen overnight. They have been playing some good volleyball. I was really happy with our team. They played a decent match."
The Cheesemakers (10-11, 1-4 Badger South) got off to a strong start in the first set.
"If we get rid of our missed serves in the first game the outcome may have been different," said Witt said of Monroe's five service errors in the first set.
Kuester had back-to-back blocks to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 4-0 lead. The Crusaders battled back to tie the set at 8. Kuester came through with a kill to help the Cheesemakers take a 9-8 lead. It was a tight first set. Edgewood junior Caitlin Link and junior Maggie Bahlman each had aces to give the Crusaders a 14-12 lead. Monroe sophomore Sydney Hilliard had a kill to force a sideout, and senior Whitney Wells delivered a kill to cut the Crusaders' lead to 19-17. The Crusaders reeled off six straight points to win the set.
"I thought we played a little bit better as a team than we have been," Kuester said. "Edgewood is a good team. We played with them. We just needed that little push in the end to get to a fifth set."
Kuester said the Cheesemakers have gotten better blocking and have been more aggressive at the net.
"That was a big part of our win in the second set and the close back-and-forth play," she said. "We were shutting down their hitters."
The second set was a see-saw affair. The Cheesemakers jumped out to a 5-2 lead after Mathiason's kill. The Crusaders rallied to tie the set at 15. Mathiason delivered a kill to force a sideout that gave the Cheesemakers a 16-15 lead. Moments later, senior Brenna Doherty then came through with a clutch ace to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 18-15. The Crusaders wouldn't go away quietly. Kuester had a critical block to give the Cheesemakers a 21-19 lead. Mathiason scored on a tip and the Crusaders hit one out that gave the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead en route to capturing the set.
In the third set, the Crusaders jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Sydney Hilliard powered a kill to force a sideout, and Mathiason delivered an ace to cut the Crusaders' lead to 8-5. However, the Crusaders cruised from there to take the set.
Monroe seniors Lexus Trickel and Chloe Schroeder each had blocks to give the Cheesemakers a 9-7 lead in the fourth set. Mathiason had a key block and kill to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 13-9, but the Crusaders rallied to pull out the fourth set.
Monroe junior Alysha Witt had a team-high 18 assists and senior Hannah Neuenschwander added 13 assists. Senior Lexi Hilliard posted a team-best 12 digs and Doherty added six digs.
Monroe has two more Badger South matches left before the Cheesemakers host the conference tournament Oct. 8. The double-elimination conference tournament is seeded.
"If we are going to peak now is the time to do it," Witt said. "If we are going to play Edgewood again we have to take steps to cover the middle because that is where they were hitting it."
But the Crusaders rallied in the fourth set to top the Cheesemakers in a Badger South Conference duel 25-18, 22-25, 25-11, 25-17.
Monroe junior Sydney Mathiason had a team-high 15 kills and five blocks. Senior Alicia Kuester had 10 kills and a team-best seven blocks.
"Our net play was probably the best its been all season," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "They have been playing more consistent. It's not going to happen overnight. They have been playing some good volleyball. I was really happy with our team. They played a decent match."
The Cheesemakers (10-11, 1-4 Badger South) got off to a strong start in the first set.
"If we get rid of our missed serves in the first game the outcome may have been different," said Witt said of Monroe's five service errors in the first set.
Kuester had back-to-back blocks to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 4-0 lead. The Crusaders battled back to tie the set at 8. Kuester came through with a kill to help the Cheesemakers take a 9-8 lead. It was a tight first set. Edgewood junior Caitlin Link and junior Maggie Bahlman each had aces to give the Crusaders a 14-12 lead. Monroe sophomore Sydney Hilliard had a kill to force a sideout, and senior Whitney Wells delivered a kill to cut the Crusaders' lead to 19-17. The Crusaders reeled off six straight points to win the set.
"I thought we played a little bit better as a team than we have been," Kuester said. "Edgewood is a good team. We played with them. We just needed that little push in the end to get to a fifth set."
Kuester said the Cheesemakers have gotten better blocking and have been more aggressive at the net.
"That was a big part of our win in the second set and the close back-and-forth play," she said. "We were shutting down their hitters."
The second set was a see-saw affair. The Cheesemakers jumped out to a 5-2 lead after Mathiason's kill. The Crusaders rallied to tie the set at 15. Mathiason delivered a kill to force a sideout that gave the Cheesemakers a 16-15 lead. Moments later, senior Brenna Doherty then came through with a clutch ace to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 18-15. The Crusaders wouldn't go away quietly. Kuester had a critical block to give the Cheesemakers a 21-19 lead. Mathiason scored on a tip and the Crusaders hit one out that gave the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead en route to capturing the set.
In the third set, the Crusaders jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Sydney Hilliard powered a kill to force a sideout, and Mathiason delivered an ace to cut the Crusaders' lead to 8-5. However, the Crusaders cruised from there to take the set.
Monroe seniors Lexus Trickel and Chloe Schroeder each had blocks to give the Cheesemakers a 9-7 lead in the fourth set. Mathiason had a key block and kill to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 13-9, but the Crusaders rallied to pull out the fourth set.
Monroe junior Alysha Witt had a team-high 18 assists and senior Hannah Neuenschwander added 13 assists. Senior Lexi Hilliard posted a team-best 12 digs and Doherty added six digs.
Monroe has two more Badger South matches left before the Cheesemakers host the conference tournament Oct. 8. The double-elimination conference tournament is seeded.
"If we are going to peak now is the time to do it," Witt said. "If we are going to play Edgewood again we have to take steps to cover the middle because that is where they were hitting it."
