SOUTH WAYNE — Monticello swept Black Hawk Sept. 2, 25-23, 25-12, 25-16, to end the Warriors’ 36-match Six Rivers East winning streak.
Monticello led 5-2 early in set one, but host Black Hawk took advantage of numerous Monticello errors and a hitting game that was heating up to build up a 20-13 lead. Freshman Kelsey Grant followed up a kill with a five-point service run (with two aces) to pull the Ponies back within one at 20-19. BH looked to go back in control when they went up 23-20 on back-to-back kills by Raylin Peterson and another kill by Tatum Baumgartner, however the Ponies rallied to take the lead for good on back-to-back net violations by the Warriors and then put set one away on a kill by Katelyn Eyler.
Black Hawk scored the first three points of set two and went up 7-2 on back-to-back kills by Raylin Peterson and Mallorie Peterson, but the Ponies came charging back behind the play of junior Ellie Gustafson at the service line and the net. A kill by Delenn Gillaspie got the serve back for the Ponies, and then Gustafson stepped to the line and served up 16 consecutive points — with seven aces — to turn a four-point deficit into a 19-7 advantage. Gustafson added a back-row kill later in the match, and she closed the set with back-to-back kills to put the Ponies up 2-0 with a 25-12 win.
Gustafson kept on hitting in set three, registering eight kills while leading the Ponies out to an early 13-3 lead. Monticello went ahead by as many as 13 and then finished off the sweep with another back-row kill by Gustafson and an ace by Grant.
Gustafson finished the night with 17 kills (10 in set three) and seven aces (all in set two). Grant added six kills and four aces and Jaden Zuber had four kills and two aces. Gillaspie and Eyler had three spike kills and a block kill each, while Hannah Clark followed with two kills and a block kill for Monticello.
Raylin Peterson had five kills and a block for Black Hawk, while Tara Wellnitz chipped in with four kills, two blocks and an ace. Mallorie Peterson tallied four kills and Baumgartner had three kills for the Warriors.
Monticello second at RC Tournament
RICHLAND CENTER — The Ponies took second place at the 12-team Richland Center Tournament Sept. 4. In the championship against Reedsburg, Monticello fell 23-25, 25-17, 16-14.
“It took a strong team effort to make it that far in the tournament,” said Monticello head coach Rebecca Gustafson. “What a fun day of volleyball with a great group of kids.”
The Ponies defeated Wisconsin Dells 25-21 and Platteville 17-25, 25-17, 15-12 in pool play. In the Gold Bracket semifinals, Monticello topped Lodi 17-25, 25-11, 15-9.
