MONROE - Playing with confidence in any sport can make the difference in competition. Monroe volleyball coach Heidi Witt wants Monroe to reevaluate their play after a three-set loss to Janesville Craig Monday.
"I talked to them after the game and told them that we have to change our mindset," Witt said after Janesville Craig rolled to a 25-7, 25-16, 25-9 win over the Cheesemakers. "If your attitude and mind is not in the right spot you will be set up for failure. If your attitude is positive and you want to win then you can have success. Tonight was a mind game for sure."
Monroe (8-26) has had to deal with some adversity with sophomore middle hitter Alicia Kuester suffering a season-ending dislocated thumb injury. Janesville Craig jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first before the Cheesemakers got a sideout when the Cougars were called for a net violation. The Cheesemakers struggled to get the ball to their hitters where they could spike the ball. Janesville Craig senior McKenzie Bertagnoli had a kill that sparked the Cougars, who cruised to the win.
"We should have played with them," Witt said. "I didn't expect them to come out like that. It was just disappointing. We were not playing the way we typically play. Our passing was a little bit off. It was too much into the net. Either our setters were not putting the ball in a good position for our hitters or our hitters couldn't put it down."
The Cheesemakers got off to a much faster start in the second set. Monroe sophomore Chloe Schroeder, who had a team-high six kills, scored on two tips to help the Cheesemakers take an 8-5 lead. Schroeder came through with a kill to give the Cheesemakers a 10-6 lead. Monroe junior Hannah Vetterli had a big block to give the Cheesemakers a 12-10 lead.
The tide turned when Craig senior Gaby Loveland scored four straight service points and had one ace to help the Cougars rally for a 17-13 lead. Craig junior Melanie Tinker scored six straight service points and had two aces to give the Cougars a 24-14 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Monroe senior Maggy Johnson had three digs and one ace filling in at middle hitter.
"Maggy Johnson is doing a nice job of stepping up as a middle hitter," Witt said.
The final set was a mirror image of the first. The Cougars jumped out to a 7-1 lead. Monroe senior Kari Jordan later scored on a block to trim the Cougars' lead to 9-3. Schroeder then scored on a tip late in the set to cut the Cougars' lead to 12-4. The Cougars scored the next six points to close out the set.
"They (Janesville Craig) came out really fired up," Witt said. "They came out to win."
Monroe sophomore Hannah Neuenschwander had a team-high nine assists and junior Paige Murphy notched six assists and had one ace. Vetterli added two blocks.
Monroe will host Evansville in a pink out game as a fundraiser for a family in the Cheesemaker volleyball program battling cancer.
"We definitely have to be more consistent," Witt said. "We can't dwell on this game. They will have something else to fire them up and play for. It's been a great team bonding event."
"I talked to them after the game and told them that we have to change our mindset," Witt said after Janesville Craig rolled to a 25-7, 25-16, 25-9 win over the Cheesemakers. "If your attitude and mind is not in the right spot you will be set up for failure. If your attitude is positive and you want to win then you can have success. Tonight was a mind game for sure."
Monroe (8-26) has had to deal with some adversity with sophomore middle hitter Alicia Kuester suffering a season-ending dislocated thumb injury. Janesville Craig jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first before the Cheesemakers got a sideout when the Cougars were called for a net violation. The Cheesemakers struggled to get the ball to their hitters where they could spike the ball. Janesville Craig senior McKenzie Bertagnoli had a kill that sparked the Cougars, who cruised to the win.
"We should have played with them," Witt said. "I didn't expect them to come out like that. It was just disappointing. We were not playing the way we typically play. Our passing was a little bit off. It was too much into the net. Either our setters were not putting the ball in a good position for our hitters or our hitters couldn't put it down."
The Cheesemakers got off to a much faster start in the second set. Monroe sophomore Chloe Schroeder, who had a team-high six kills, scored on two tips to help the Cheesemakers take an 8-5 lead. Schroeder came through with a kill to give the Cheesemakers a 10-6 lead. Monroe junior Hannah Vetterli had a big block to give the Cheesemakers a 12-10 lead.
The tide turned when Craig senior Gaby Loveland scored four straight service points and had one ace to help the Cougars rally for a 17-13 lead. Craig junior Melanie Tinker scored six straight service points and had two aces to give the Cougars a 24-14 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Monroe senior Maggy Johnson had three digs and one ace filling in at middle hitter.
"Maggy Johnson is doing a nice job of stepping up as a middle hitter," Witt said.
The final set was a mirror image of the first. The Cougars jumped out to a 7-1 lead. Monroe senior Kari Jordan later scored on a block to trim the Cougars' lead to 9-3. Schroeder then scored on a tip late in the set to cut the Cougars' lead to 12-4. The Cougars scored the next six points to close out the set.
"They (Janesville Craig) came out really fired up," Witt said. "They came out to win."
Monroe sophomore Hannah Neuenschwander had a team-high nine assists and junior Paige Murphy notched six assists and had one ace. Vetterli added two blocks.
Monroe will host Evansville in a pink out game as a fundraiser for a family in the Cheesemaker volleyball program battling cancer.
"We definitely have to be more consistent," Witt said. "We can't dwell on this game. They will have something else to fire them up and play for. It's been a great team bonding event."
