MONROE - Senior outside hitter Hannah Vetterli understands there is a learning curve every year with each new edition of the Monroe volleyball team.
The Cheesemakers finished 1-4 and took fifth place in the six-team Monroe Invitational Saturday at the high school. Mount Horeb captured the team title going 5-0 and Wisconsin Heights finished second.
"I think we need to keep that fire and momentum going from game to game instead of having a lull like we did in the first match," Vetterli said. "We really wanted to win a game. More importantly we wanted to play as a team and play really well."
Mount Horeb knocked off the Cheesemakers in the first match 25-17, 25-14 and Wisconsin Heights defeated Monroe 25-18, 25-9. Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason had five kills and one block in the match against Mount Horeb. Senior teammate Paige Murphy had seven assists and three aces. Vetterli added two blocks.
Monroe junior Alicia Kuester had one kill and one dig. Monroe junior Hannah Neuenschwander and Murphy each posted two aces.
Monroe rebounded by picking up its first win when the Cheesemakers defeated New Glarus 25-20, 25-22. The Cheesemakers moved Schroeder to a middle-hitter role against the Glarner Knights and she responded. Schroeder recorded five kills and one block. Mathiason had four kills and one block. Murphy had a team-high 10 assists and three aces. Neuenschwander added seven assists. Senior teammate Haley Doherty had a team-best four aces.
"We are still trying to figure out what players work the best together and bring the most fire to the court," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "I just want them to believe in themselves. It's still that stigma that we are Monroe volleyball and we can't win. They have the ability and potential. Volleyball is really a mind game. You don't always have your best players on the court. You have to play with enthusiasm and energy. I think they are slowly starting to believe in themselves."
Richland Center got off to a hot start taking an 8-0 lead against the Cheesemakers in the first set and rolled to a 25-14, 25-23 win. In Monroe's final match, Watertown-Luther Prep beat the Cheesemakers in three sets 13-25, 25-22, 17-15.
Vetterli had a team-high eight kills against the Hornets. Schroeder and Kuester each collected two blocks. Monroe sophomore Alysha Witt had 10 assists. Junior Whitney Wells and Doherty each had two aces.
Schroeder had six kills and four blocks against Watertown Luther Prep. Schroeder had three straight blocks and two kills in the third set against Luther Prep.
"Chloe came alive against Watertown," Witt said. "Monroe and Watertown went point-for-point in a hard fought set and only fell short with some miscommunication. They definitely played more to their potential towards the end of the day."
Vetterli had eight kills and two blocks and Kuester had five kills and two blocks. Murphy racked up a team-high 18 assists and Mathiason added five kills. Hilliard had two aces and three digs.
Monroe will have a tough stretch with six matches this week. Monroe will play at Beloit Turner Tuesday and then will play a Badger South Conference match at Fort Atkinson Thursday.
"Volleyball is not only a game of skill, but very much a mental game," Witt said. "We need to stay focused, positive and mentally tough and in the game every point. We need to constantly communicate with each other. When that breaks down, so does everything else."
The Cheesemakers finished 1-4 and took fifth place in the six-team Monroe Invitational Saturday at the high school. Mount Horeb captured the team title going 5-0 and Wisconsin Heights finished second.
"I think we need to keep that fire and momentum going from game to game instead of having a lull like we did in the first match," Vetterli said. "We really wanted to win a game. More importantly we wanted to play as a team and play really well."
Mount Horeb knocked off the Cheesemakers in the first match 25-17, 25-14 and Wisconsin Heights defeated Monroe 25-18, 25-9. Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason had five kills and one block in the match against Mount Horeb. Senior teammate Paige Murphy had seven assists and three aces. Vetterli added two blocks.
Monroe junior Alicia Kuester had one kill and one dig. Monroe junior Hannah Neuenschwander and Murphy each posted two aces.
Monroe rebounded by picking up its first win when the Cheesemakers defeated New Glarus 25-20, 25-22. The Cheesemakers moved Schroeder to a middle-hitter role against the Glarner Knights and she responded. Schroeder recorded five kills and one block. Mathiason had four kills and one block. Murphy had a team-high 10 assists and three aces. Neuenschwander added seven assists. Senior teammate Haley Doherty had a team-best four aces.
"We are still trying to figure out what players work the best together and bring the most fire to the court," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "I just want them to believe in themselves. It's still that stigma that we are Monroe volleyball and we can't win. They have the ability and potential. Volleyball is really a mind game. You don't always have your best players on the court. You have to play with enthusiasm and energy. I think they are slowly starting to believe in themselves."
Richland Center got off to a hot start taking an 8-0 lead against the Cheesemakers in the first set and rolled to a 25-14, 25-23 win. In Monroe's final match, Watertown-Luther Prep beat the Cheesemakers in three sets 13-25, 25-22, 17-15.
Vetterli had a team-high eight kills against the Hornets. Schroeder and Kuester each collected two blocks. Monroe sophomore Alysha Witt had 10 assists. Junior Whitney Wells and Doherty each had two aces.
Schroeder had six kills and four blocks against Watertown Luther Prep. Schroeder had three straight blocks and two kills in the third set against Luther Prep.
"Chloe came alive against Watertown," Witt said. "Monroe and Watertown went point-for-point in a hard fought set and only fell short with some miscommunication. They definitely played more to their potential towards the end of the day."
Vetterli had eight kills and two blocks and Kuester had five kills and two blocks. Murphy racked up a team-high 18 assists and Mathiason added five kills. Hilliard had two aces and three digs.
Monroe will have a tough stretch with six matches this week. Monroe will play at Beloit Turner Tuesday and then will play a Badger South Conference match at Fort Atkinson Thursday.
"Volleyball is not only a game of skill, but very much a mental game," Witt said. "We need to stay focused, positive and mentally tough and in the game every point. We need to constantly communicate with each other. When that breaks down, so does everything else."
