BRODHEAD - Monroe volleyball coach Dave Gersbach knew it was just a matter of time before the Cheesemakers picked up their first win.
Monroe went 4-0-1 Saturday, snapping a nine-match losing streak to win the silver bracket at the Brodhead Invitational.
The Cheesemakers could have played in the gold bracket, but Lake Mills earned the No. 4 seed after winning the tie-breaker by four points against the Cheesemakers in head-to-head point differential.
"We are coming around," Gersbach said. "We wanted to get back in the gold bracket and defend our title. These young girls just needed to get some confidence and feel good about themselves. They did a great job and they deserve it."
The Cheesemakers (4-9, 0-4 Badger South) opened the invite by beating Arygle 25-16, 25-18. Monroe senior Sara Donvito had 10 kills to lead the Cheesemakers. Monroe junior Kirstie Hinojosa had a team-high 15 assists and she added three aces.
The Cheesemakers split two games against Lake Mills, dropping the first game 17-25 and then rebounding to win the second game 25-21. Monroe sophomore Becca Armstrong had a couple of critical kills and Donvito had an ace late in the second game to give the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead. The Cheesemakers closed out the split with senior Jaclyn Ditter's kill. Ditter had nine kills to lead the Cheesemakers.
"We needed to get a win under our belts," Ditter said after the Cheesemakers split two games against Lake Mills. "We just wanted to play better, get some wins and play as a team. That is our focus. Hopefully, we can carry that into Fort Atkinson."
Ditter noticed a difference in the second game against Lake Mills.
"Our enthusiasm picked up a lot," she said. "That carried us through."
Monroe won all three matches in the silver bracket play. The Cheesemakers defeated Albany 25-17, 25-19. Armstrong had nine kills. Jacobson had nine assists and Hinojosa had three aces. The Cheesemakers then beat New Glarus 27-25, 25-9. Monroe senior Alexis Rast had seven kills. Jacobson had eight assists and came through with a 10-point run on the service line that included two aces.
The Cheesemakers won the silver bracket after pulling out a three set match win over Whitewater 21-25, 27-26, 15-5. Ditter had 13 assists and Hinojosa had a team-high 11 assists.
Brodhead defeated Monticello and split two games with New Glarus in pool play. The Cardinals advanced to the gold bracket where Belleville won the championship.
"We talked about making it to the gold bracket," Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer said. "Our goal was to own our home court. We wanted to have the advantage of being at home."
Brodhead freshman Rachel Heller scored seven straight points and had three aces in the second game against New Glarus. Brodhead freshman Carly Mohns had six kills against New Glarus and sophomore Taylor Douglas had four. Senior Megan Krupke had 10 assists for the Cardinals.
Brodhead sophomore Heather Shanks had the hot serving hand against Monticello with eight straight service points including five aces in the match. Mohns and Douglas each had five kills against the Ponies. Krupke had a team-high 12 assists.
Albany finished 3-2 at the tournament and New Glarus was 0-3-2, splitting matches with Monticello and Brodhead in pool play. Albany senior Courtney Pfeuti had 69 assists during the tournament and senior Sydney Bump had 42 kills. Albany lost a match in pool play to Belleville 14-25, 11-25. Bump collected eight kills and had 10 digs. Albany sophomore Carli Peters had nine digs. Pfeuti had eight assists. The Comets then beat Evansville 25-10, 25-9 to advance to silver bracket play.
The Comets lost to Monroe and then rebounded to beat Whitewater 25-19, 15-25, 15-6 and then defeated New Glarus 25-14, 25-15. Bump had 11 kills and 10 digs against Whitewater. Pfeuti had a team-high 17 assists. Bump had seven kills and four digs against the Knights. Senior Kaitlyn Schulz added six kills.
"I thought we could have played much stronger against Belleville," Albany coach Connie Wunschel said.
She also knew what the difference was against the Cheesemakers.
"If we could have received better, we could have competed better," she said of handling the service receive. "The girls know that."
Argyle finished 3-2 and won the bronze bracket. Argyle sophomore Kayla Ostby had 63 assists in the tournament. Argyle junior Abby Flanagan had 21 kills, 11 aces and six blocks. After losing to Monroe and Lake Mills in pool play, the Orioles swept all three matches in the bronze bracket. The Orioles knocked off Evansville 25-13, 25-17. Argyle then pulled out a three set win over Juda 23-25, 25-22, 15-12 and beat Monticello 25-21, 25-16.
Juda finished 1-3-1. Juda split a match with Whitewater in pool play and lost to Madison Memorial. The Panthers in bronze bracket play defeated Monticello and then lost three set matches to Argyle and Evansville.
"It's a good experience for them to get out and play some bigger teams and get ready for tournament time," Argyle coach Shane Johnson said.
Juda played without junior middle blocker Ellen Kiser.
"Right now, we are playing without any consistency," Juda coach Pam Green said. "We have played at a high level sometimes and at a low level. We are kind of see-sawing back and forth."
Monroe went 4-0-1 Saturday, snapping a nine-match losing streak to win the silver bracket at the Brodhead Invitational.
The Cheesemakers could have played in the gold bracket, but Lake Mills earned the No. 4 seed after winning the tie-breaker by four points against the Cheesemakers in head-to-head point differential.
"We are coming around," Gersbach said. "We wanted to get back in the gold bracket and defend our title. These young girls just needed to get some confidence and feel good about themselves. They did a great job and they deserve it."
The Cheesemakers (4-9, 0-4 Badger South) opened the invite by beating Arygle 25-16, 25-18. Monroe senior Sara Donvito had 10 kills to lead the Cheesemakers. Monroe junior Kirstie Hinojosa had a team-high 15 assists and she added three aces.
The Cheesemakers split two games against Lake Mills, dropping the first game 17-25 and then rebounding to win the second game 25-21. Monroe sophomore Becca Armstrong had a couple of critical kills and Donvito had an ace late in the second game to give the Cheesemakers a 23-21 lead. The Cheesemakers closed out the split with senior Jaclyn Ditter's kill. Ditter had nine kills to lead the Cheesemakers.
"We needed to get a win under our belts," Ditter said after the Cheesemakers split two games against Lake Mills. "We just wanted to play better, get some wins and play as a team. That is our focus. Hopefully, we can carry that into Fort Atkinson."
Ditter noticed a difference in the second game against Lake Mills.
"Our enthusiasm picked up a lot," she said. "That carried us through."
Monroe won all three matches in the silver bracket play. The Cheesemakers defeated Albany 25-17, 25-19. Armstrong had nine kills. Jacobson had nine assists and Hinojosa had three aces. The Cheesemakers then beat New Glarus 27-25, 25-9. Monroe senior Alexis Rast had seven kills. Jacobson had eight assists and came through with a 10-point run on the service line that included two aces.
The Cheesemakers won the silver bracket after pulling out a three set match win over Whitewater 21-25, 27-26, 15-5. Ditter had 13 assists and Hinojosa had a team-high 11 assists.
Brodhead defeated Monticello and split two games with New Glarus in pool play. The Cardinals advanced to the gold bracket where Belleville won the championship.
"We talked about making it to the gold bracket," Brodhead coach Erin Kammerer said. "Our goal was to own our home court. We wanted to have the advantage of being at home."
Brodhead freshman Rachel Heller scored seven straight points and had three aces in the second game against New Glarus. Brodhead freshman Carly Mohns had six kills against New Glarus and sophomore Taylor Douglas had four. Senior Megan Krupke had 10 assists for the Cardinals.
Brodhead sophomore Heather Shanks had the hot serving hand against Monticello with eight straight service points including five aces in the match. Mohns and Douglas each had five kills against the Ponies. Krupke had a team-high 12 assists.
Albany finished 3-2 at the tournament and New Glarus was 0-3-2, splitting matches with Monticello and Brodhead in pool play. Albany senior Courtney Pfeuti had 69 assists during the tournament and senior Sydney Bump had 42 kills. Albany lost a match in pool play to Belleville 14-25, 11-25. Bump collected eight kills and had 10 digs. Albany sophomore Carli Peters had nine digs. Pfeuti had eight assists. The Comets then beat Evansville 25-10, 25-9 to advance to silver bracket play.
The Comets lost to Monroe and then rebounded to beat Whitewater 25-19, 15-25, 15-6 and then defeated New Glarus 25-14, 25-15. Bump had 11 kills and 10 digs against Whitewater. Pfeuti had a team-high 17 assists. Bump had seven kills and four digs against the Knights. Senior Kaitlyn Schulz added six kills.
"I thought we could have played much stronger against Belleville," Albany coach Connie Wunschel said.
She also knew what the difference was against the Cheesemakers.
"If we could have received better, we could have competed better," she said of handling the service receive. "The girls know that."
Argyle finished 3-2 and won the bronze bracket. Argyle sophomore Kayla Ostby had 63 assists in the tournament. Argyle junior Abby Flanagan had 21 kills, 11 aces and six blocks. After losing to Monroe and Lake Mills in pool play, the Orioles swept all three matches in the bronze bracket. The Orioles knocked off Evansville 25-13, 25-17. Argyle then pulled out a three set win over Juda 23-25, 25-22, 15-12 and beat Monticello 25-21, 25-16.
Juda finished 1-3-1. Juda split a match with Whitewater in pool play and lost to Madison Memorial. The Panthers in bronze bracket play defeated Monticello and then lost three set matches to Argyle and Evansville.
"It's a good experience for them to get out and play some bigger teams and get ready for tournament time," Argyle coach Shane Johnson said.
Juda played without junior middle blocker Ellen Kiser.
"Right now, we are playing without any consistency," Juda coach Pam Green said. "We have played at a high level sometimes and at a low level. We are kind of see-sawing back and forth."
