MONROE - Volleyball fans in the crowd for Monroe's Badger South Conference home opener against Milton may not have guessed that the Red Hawks are the defending conference champions after watching the first set.
The Cheesemakers got some hot serving from junior right side hitter Savannah Koester to win the first set 25-22. The Red Hawks rebounded and sent the Cheesemakers scrambling on service receive, sweeping the next three sets to down the Cheesemakers 25-18, 25-12, 25-19. Monroe has now lost 19 straight conference matches.
"It obviously feels good to take a set from the conference champions from last year," Monroe coach Danya Ward said. "They didn't carry that momentum into the second set. They let Milton dominate. We got beat mentally tonight. They got into our heads."
Koester emerged as a focal point early on. She used a jump serve at times to help the Cheesemakers jump out to a 9-5 lead in the first set. Monroe (0-2 Badger South) was aggressive at the net and had some critical tips. Monroe senior Heather Barta scored three straight points and had an ace to give the Cheesemakers a 15-10 lead.
In the second set, the Red Hawks rolled to an early 7-2 lead. Milton junior Lauren Streets had three consecutive aces late in the set to give the Red Hawks a 17-9 lead. The Cheesemakers had seven service errors, but they rebounded in the final set. Streets led the Red Hawks with 21 kills, 16 digs, six blocks and five aces.
"Our defense and passing is good," Ward said. "We really have to work on our service receive."
Monroe junior Taylor Barrett had two early kills in the fifth set to give the Cheesemakers a 6-4 lead. Koester scored on a tip at the net and Barrett and junior Whitney Disch followed with kills to give the Cheesemakers a 11-9 lead. The service receive couldn't hang on as the Red Hawks battled back and took an insurmountable 17-12 lead after five straight points including one ace by junior Samantha Scalissi.
Monroe senior Becca Armstrong had a team-high 16 kills, 14 digs and five aces.
Monroe junior Taylor Barrett had 15 kills and seven assists.
"I thought after the first game that we would get on a roll," Barrett said. "We were just lacking energy tonight. We have to bring it on Thursday. We started making mistakes, we got down and we can't do that or it will end up like this. The problem, I think, is that we got down. We couldn't get our heads or passes up."
Senior Ashley Curtis recorded 17 digs and senior Heather Barta had 34 assists.
"For what was thrown at her, Heather really put up some good sets," Ward said. "We were only able to have success on very few of them."
Attacking against the opposing team's blockers and hitters also remains a focus.
"Heather had some really good sets," Barrett said. "We have to be aware of where their blockers and hitters are at on the floor."
The Cheesemakers got some hot serving from junior right side hitter Savannah Koester to win the first set 25-22. The Red Hawks rebounded and sent the Cheesemakers scrambling on service receive, sweeping the next three sets to down the Cheesemakers 25-18, 25-12, 25-19. Monroe has now lost 19 straight conference matches.
"It obviously feels good to take a set from the conference champions from last year," Monroe coach Danya Ward said. "They didn't carry that momentum into the second set. They let Milton dominate. We got beat mentally tonight. They got into our heads."
Koester emerged as a focal point early on. She used a jump serve at times to help the Cheesemakers jump out to a 9-5 lead in the first set. Monroe (0-2 Badger South) was aggressive at the net and had some critical tips. Monroe senior Heather Barta scored three straight points and had an ace to give the Cheesemakers a 15-10 lead.
In the second set, the Red Hawks rolled to an early 7-2 lead. Milton junior Lauren Streets had three consecutive aces late in the set to give the Red Hawks a 17-9 lead. The Cheesemakers had seven service errors, but they rebounded in the final set. Streets led the Red Hawks with 21 kills, 16 digs, six blocks and five aces.
"Our defense and passing is good," Ward said. "We really have to work on our service receive."
Monroe junior Taylor Barrett had two early kills in the fifth set to give the Cheesemakers a 6-4 lead. Koester scored on a tip at the net and Barrett and junior Whitney Disch followed with kills to give the Cheesemakers a 11-9 lead. The service receive couldn't hang on as the Red Hawks battled back and took an insurmountable 17-12 lead after five straight points including one ace by junior Samantha Scalissi.
Monroe senior Becca Armstrong had a team-high 16 kills, 14 digs and five aces.
Monroe junior Taylor Barrett had 15 kills and seven assists.
"I thought after the first game that we would get on a roll," Barrett said. "We were just lacking energy tonight. We have to bring it on Thursday. We started making mistakes, we got down and we can't do that or it will end up like this. The problem, I think, is that we got down. We couldn't get our heads or passes up."
Senior Ashley Curtis recorded 17 digs and senior Heather Barta had 34 assists.
"For what was thrown at her, Heather really put up some good sets," Ward said. "We were only able to have success on very few of them."
Attacking against the opposing team's blockers and hitters also remains a focus.
"Heather had some really good sets," Barrett said. "We have to be aware of where their blockers and hitters are at on the floor."
