BRODHEAD - The Monroe volleyball team won the bronze division and took ninth overall at the Brodhead Invitational on Saturday.
In pool play, Juda defeated Monroe 25-23, 25-21. Evansville then knocked off the Cheesemakers in a second match of pool play 25-21, 25-22.
"Monroe started out slow against Juda, but kudos to Juda's defense, which was pretty good all day in pool play," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "We started picking up our game against Evansville, but it was a little too late to pick up the win. It was disappointing coming off a conference win against Oregon. We had nothing to be down about, but mentally we just weren't there."
In bronze bracket play, Monroe beat Beloit Turner 25-13, 25-20 and then tipped New Glarus in three sets 25-11, 15-25, 15-11 to win the bronze bracket championship and took ninth overall. With the wins, Monroe improves to 10-9.
Monroe senior Alicia Kuester had a team-high 22 kills and eight aces in the tournament. Junior Sydney Mathiason posted 14 kills and five blocks in the tournament. Senior Hannah Neuenschwander racked up 37 assists for the tournament and junior Alysha Witt had 20 assists.
Belleville defeated Juda in a third-place match 25-19, 26-24 in the gold bracket. Juda (4-6, 1-2 Six Rivers East), which finished fourth overall, split a pool match against Evansville, winning the first set 25-18 and dropping the second set 25-23. To earn a berth in the gold bracket, the Panthers edged Argyle in three sets 19-25, 25-10, 15-10. The Panthers then dropped a match in the semifinals of the gold bracket to eventual champion Lake Mills 25-13, 25-23.
"It was great competition," Juda coach Scott Anderson said. "We got to play in the gold bracket and we played some big teams. We were very excited. We are still a team that has to dig. It proved that if we dig and position ourselves correctly, we can play with anybody."
Juda senior Alexis Goecks had a team-high 93 digs for the tournament. Senior teammate Sara Jordan had a team-best 22 kills for the day and junior Hailey Kammerer delivered 20 kills. Junior teammate Maddie Roth posted 19 kills. Senior Chelsea Burkhalter racked up 44 assists for the tournament.
Argyle (5-3, 3-0 Six Rivers East) took second in the silver bracket and sixth overall. The Orioles split two sets against Belleville in pool play. In the first set, the Wildcats topped the Orioles 25-20 and Argyle edged Belleville in the second set 25-23. The Orioles cruised past Beloit Turner in the second pool play match knocking off the Trojans 27-26, 25-7. The Orioles beat Brodhead 25-14, 25-22 in silver bracket play. In the championship of the silver bracket, Evansville topped Argyle in three sets 27-26, 19-25, 16-14.
Argyle junior Ashley Bruehlman racked up a team-high 46 kills, 41 digs in the tournament to lead the Orioles. Senior teammate Kayla Butler-Paulson had a team-best 45 digs, 90 assists and eight aces for the day. Senior teammate Sam Mick also posted eight aces. Sophomore Jena Saalsaa added 29 kills for the tournament.
"We played pretty good overall," Argyle coach Jen Butler said. "We just have to get more consistent."
Brodhead finished seventh overall. In the seventh-place match, the Cardinals defeated Monticello 25-14, 25-23. In pool play, Whitewater edged Brodhead 22-25, 27-25, 15-8. The Cardinals upended New Glarus 25-15, 25-16.
Brodhead sophomore Abbey Johnson had 40 kills, 39 assists, 28 digs and 10 aces in the tournament. Junior teammate Chandra Clark racked up a team-high 45 assists and 17 kills in the tournament and had 15 digs. Brooke Bescup added 16 digs for the Cardinals.
New Glarus took second in the bronze bracket and 10th overall and Albany finished last out of 12 teams. The Comets lost two matches in pool play and in the 11th-place match, Beloit Turner defeated Albany 25-23, 25-13.
In pool play, Juda defeated Monroe 25-23, 25-21. Evansville then knocked off the Cheesemakers in a second match of pool play 25-21, 25-22.
"Monroe started out slow against Juda, but kudos to Juda's defense, which was pretty good all day in pool play," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "We started picking up our game against Evansville, but it was a little too late to pick up the win. It was disappointing coming off a conference win against Oregon. We had nothing to be down about, but mentally we just weren't there."
In bronze bracket play, Monroe beat Beloit Turner 25-13, 25-20 and then tipped New Glarus in three sets 25-11, 15-25, 15-11 to win the bronze bracket championship and took ninth overall. With the wins, Monroe improves to 10-9.
Monroe senior Alicia Kuester had a team-high 22 kills and eight aces in the tournament. Junior Sydney Mathiason posted 14 kills and five blocks in the tournament. Senior Hannah Neuenschwander racked up 37 assists for the tournament and junior Alysha Witt had 20 assists.
Belleville defeated Juda in a third-place match 25-19, 26-24 in the gold bracket. Juda (4-6, 1-2 Six Rivers East), which finished fourth overall, split a pool match against Evansville, winning the first set 25-18 and dropping the second set 25-23. To earn a berth in the gold bracket, the Panthers edged Argyle in three sets 19-25, 25-10, 15-10. The Panthers then dropped a match in the semifinals of the gold bracket to eventual champion Lake Mills 25-13, 25-23.
"It was great competition," Juda coach Scott Anderson said. "We got to play in the gold bracket and we played some big teams. We were very excited. We are still a team that has to dig. It proved that if we dig and position ourselves correctly, we can play with anybody."
Juda senior Alexis Goecks had a team-high 93 digs for the tournament. Senior teammate Sara Jordan had a team-best 22 kills for the day and junior Hailey Kammerer delivered 20 kills. Junior teammate Maddie Roth posted 19 kills. Senior Chelsea Burkhalter racked up 44 assists for the tournament.
Argyle (5-3, 3-0 Six Rivers East) took second in the silver bracket and sixth overall. The Orioles split two sets against Belleville in pool play. In the first set, the Wildcats topped the Orioles 25-20 and Argyle edged Belleville in the second set 25-23. The Orioles cruised past Beloit Turner in the second pool play match knocking off the Trojans 27-26, 25-7. The Orioles beat Brodhead 25-14, 25-22 in silver bracket play. In the championship of the silver bracket, Evansville topped Argyle in three sets 27-26, 19-25, 16-14.
Argyle junior Ashley Bruehlman racked up a team-high 46 kills, 41 digs in the tournament to lead the Orioles. Senior teammate Kayla Butler-Paulson had a team-best 45 digs, 90 assists and eight aces for the day. Senior teammate Sam Mick also posted eight aces. Sophomore Jena Saalsaa added 29 kills for the tournament.
"We played pretty good overall," Argyle coach Jen Butler said. "We just have to get more consistent."
Brodhead finished seventh overall. In the seventh-place match, the Cardinals defeated Monticello 25-14, 25-23. In pool play, Whitewater edged Brodhead 22-25, 27-25, 15-8. The Cardinals upended New Glarus 25-15, 25-16.
Brodhead sophomore Abbey Johnson had 40 kills, 39 assists, 28 digs and 10 aces in the tournament. Junior teammate Chandra Clark racked up a team-high 45 assists and 17 kills in the tournament and had 15 digs. Brooke Bescup added 16 digs for the Cardinals.
New Glarus took second in the bronze bracket and 10th overall and Albany finished last out of 12 teams. The Comets lost two matches in pool play and in the 11th-place match, Beloit Turner defeated Albany 25-23, 25-13.
