DARLINGTON — The Redbirds exited their season opener against Fennimore on Aug. 26 with a loss in four sets, 25-12, 25-20, 14-25, and 25-23.

Darlington got behind early in the first and was unable to reach double figures until the Golden Eagles (1-0) were already at 22, and the gap was too much to overcome.

The second set looked to be a reversal of fortunes as the Redbirds got their offseason rust shaken off, going on a 10-1 run to open with Maddie Gratz accounting for half of her team’s points over the stretch. The large lead didn’t last, though Darlington didn’t surrender it to the final rally, as an error by Fennimore and a block by Catie Hartwig sent away the set.

The Golden Eagles were as responsible for their success as their woes early in the third. They aced the opening rally, then erred the Redbirds into the lead before Sydney Wiegel added a kill assisted by Lilly Ritchie to put the score at 3-1 favoring Darlington. Fennimore rallied to trade blows with the host team over the next couple rallies before breaking a 4-4 tie with a free ball error from the Redbirds. Unfortunately, a 6-2 run for the Golden Eagles where a Gratz kill and a Hartwig block were Darlington’s only points put the pieces in motion for a quick exit from the set.

The Redbirds looked poised throughout the entire fourth set to send the game to a fifth, shooting out to a 5-1 lead behind kills from Wiegel, Gratz, Maicy Norgard, and an ace from Wiegel as well. Darlington relented again, and Fennimore was ready to pounce, tying the set up. 

Where things differed from the third, was that the Redbirds didn’t fall to more than a 3-point deficit any of the way to the final rally. They even regained the lead late as a Gratz-assisted kill by Ritchie earned Darlington the lead, 19-18. An attacking error by the traveling team widened the gap before the Golden Eagles reined in the set to a 21-21 tie. The squads traded serving errors ahead of an error on an attack by the Redbirds and a Fennimore ace put the deficit at 24-22 for Darlington. Wiegel’s number was called again as she spiked the ball just inside the sideline in front of the team bench, before a Golden Eagle kill sent the match away.

“I thought our performance against Fennimore was a good test of what is to come for the upcoming season,” Redbirds head coach Pamela Pustina said. “Fennimore is a very good, well-rounded team, and they were able to capitalize on our weaknesses. We have four returning starters, and only one of them — Catie Hartwig — is playing the same position as she played last year. Everyone else has been moved around due to the needs of our team.”

 Leaders on the night included Ritchie, who earned 20 assists for her team — nearly 80% of her team’s total assists on the night. She also finished second overall in total blocks at four, just behind Hartwig.

“Lilly Ritchie has been the biggest of these changes,” Pustina said. “She has started every match since her freshman year as an outside hitter. This season, you will find her running the offense as our setter. Lilly has great hands and a high volleyball IQ, making her a great fit for the setting position.”

Kills were led by Gratz and Wiegel at nine apiece, with Hartwig a close third at six. Several attackers were at the net, however, as all three, plus Ritchie and Chloe O’Brien, attempted a minimum of 10 attacks.

“Going forward, we will need to utilize our strong hitters like Hartwig and Gratz, who are both impactful hitters and blockers,” Pustina said.

Improvements for the Redbirds, per Pustina, include controlling what they can control, and getting more comfortable on the court.

“I think we are still trying to find our groove, and get comfortable with our new roles,” she said. “Controlling our controllables — serving well, taking care of the ball on serve receive, and maintaining a good team culture are all factors to grow on going forward.”

Next up for Darlington is the Monroe Invitational on Aug. 30, where the Cheesemakers, Mount Horeb, Watertown Luther Prep, and Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld will be in attendance.

“Historically, the Monroe Invite has been a bit of a rough start for our team, and we will be working hard the next few days leading up to it to create a different outcome,” Pustina said. “I will say that the team has put quite a bit of work into creating bonds and trust on and off the court, and I feel that will only make us better.”