BRODHEAD — The Cardiac Cardinals took their last breath of the season on Halloween. Brodhead lost to River Ridge in a WIAA Division 3 volleyball sectional semifinal in five goosebump-filled sets, 21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21, 13-15.

“They were a bit jittery the first set, but I felt their touch on the ball had so much energy I could feel it,” Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer said. “We never did step up our passing, and if had settled in and stepped up our passing, it would have been interesting to see what could have happened.

“Honestly, weren’t supposed to be anything this year. My motto has always been to play for the year you’re in, and these kids bought into it. The mix of kids just fit. My heart hurts a little bit for my seniors, because I felt like we were in control and we just couldn’t finish.”

Brodhead led 11-7 in the fifth set, and later 12-10 before unravelling like an Egyptian mummy. 

“We were up a little bit in the fifth set, then it was just all our errors. It wasn’t panic, it just was that we wanted it so bad,” senior Catherine Speckman said.

Holding the late 4-point lead in the final set, Sabrina Siegel sent a serve out of bounds to give the possession back to River Ridge, which then scored back-to-back points on well-placed bumped balls, catching the Cardinals out of position in the back line.

Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer called a timeout to settle down her players, which now led by just a point at 11-10. On the next volley, senior Katie Goecks scored a big block for a side out. Then came what would become Goecks’ final serve of her impressive prep career — a shot into the net.

“I was trying to be more aggressive than my last serve — and with aggression comes some misses. It just happened that that one was a miss,” Goecks said. “I’m not going to dwell on it — it’s in the past; especially in that situation.”

River Ridge senior Skylar White scored on a back row kill and Brodhead failed to return a volley and suddenly the Cardinals were behind 12-13. Kammerer called another timeout, and when play resumed again, White again scored a point on a back-row volley to force match point at 14-12. The Timberwolves failed to return the next volley to keep Brodhead within striking distance, and after an impressive dig, Brodhead sophomore Madisyn Kail slid a little too far under the net, calling for the final point.

“It’s disappointing, but to give it your all, there’s going to be some line crossing. You’re not going to know where you are all the time when you’re giving it your all, and you’re just going after the ball, which is all we could ask for from a player,” Goecks said. “We just fell a little short today. We knew coming into it that it wasn’t going to be easy to win. It sucks that we lost 13-15 — that kind of stings.”

White was the biggest threat to the Cardinals all game. Standing just 5-foot-8, the senior was the best player on the court in whatever position she was in — outside hitter, middle hitter, back row and serving.

“She was very impressive. I knew she was going to be a threat in the front row, hands down, and I knew her swing from the back row would be a threat,” Kammerer said. “But her ball control and getting after every pass — every play I had her touch somewhere on the ball and she made something happen.”

White had 30 kills, six blocks and an ace, while repeatedly setting up teammates for heavy hits, making Brodhead’s back row work for digs and tipping ball after ball at the net on Cardinal spike attempts.

Goecks finished with 20 kills and three blocks, while freshman Abbie Dix had 22 kills, four blocks and three aces. Siegel had six kills and 12 digs, while Kiarra Moe finished with 19 digs.

The late service errors — which include three in the decisive fifth set — were a rarity in the match — albeit at a crucial time. Brodhead finished the night with a 91.3 service rate, though the rate was just under 77% in the final set. The Cardinals finished with 10 aces and nine errors at the line. Siegel and Moe each had two aces, as did Kail, who had back-to-back aces in the fifth set to make it 10-6.

While White was the star for River Ridge, Goecks and Dix took charge at the net for Brodhead — as well as freshman setter Alexis Kammerer, who finished with 55 assists, 18 digs and six kills, all of which came in the first four sets on quick tip kills that found a hole in the defense. 

“She saw the floor very well tonight. That’s not my preference, as a coach I’d like her to use our hitters, but if you see it and you can get it — game on,” coach Kammerer said.

In the fifth set, River Ridge adjusted and took away the surprise attack.

The Cardinals reached the sectional level for the first time since 2013 and only the fifth time in school history. The match prior, Brodhead went five sets before defeating Cuba City in the regional final Oct. 26.

“I’m extremely proud of our team. It seems like we finally came together. This year started with everybody worried about improving themselves, but at the end we came together and formed a team and got better as a team,” Speckman said.

Speckman, a libero, had 18 digs and served 100% in the final match of her career.

“It’s hard. The last game, it was kind of a surreal moment. It hit 15, and it didn’t really hit me until the crowd said ‘thank you seniors,’” Speckman said of her prep playing career being over. “I think when I walk into school and the bell rings and I’m not practicing, it might hit me then. Or maybe next year in the spring when the girls are kind of starting up again and I’m not a part of that, it’s probably going to hit.”

Speckman was draped in hugs by her teammates, with junior Bailey Matthys covering the senior in a tear-filled bear hug.

Goecks was appreciative of the crowd support — from classmates in the student section, to former players and alumni and children who spurned collecting sugar in the snow to cheer in the heated gym.

“Our entire school was in the crowd. Our entire community — even the little kids that could be out trick-or-treating on Halloween getting candy — they were here watching us. Little girls watching us and admiring us — that’s awesome,” Goecks said, adding that the future of the program is looking bright. “It took me four years to get this far. I learned a lot. The freshmen from this year — they can go wherever they want from here; only up. They’ve got a few spots to fill, but we have good youth coming into the program — I think they’ll be good.”

Brodhead is a relatively young squad, with just three seniors graduating — Goecks, Speckman and bench player Liz Green.

“We’re losing leadership. Every single one brought something different to the floor. Liz Green, even though she didn’t hit the floor tonight, she could lead — those kids followed her,” coach Kammerer said. “I’ve been trying to prep them and help them for this. It’s not just volleyball — I’ll get to watch them go into the next sport and then the next sport. Hopefully they learn something from here for their next sport and their senior year continues to be what they want it to be.”