MONROE - Every time the Monroe volleyball team made a run Thursday night, Oregon answered.
In a playoff like atmosphere on an emotional senior night, the Cheesemakers lost a see-saw match to the Panthers, 26-24, 25-15, 27-25.
Monroe (6-6 Badger South) squandered late leads in two of the three games.
"It's on us," Monroe coach Dave Gersbach said. "We have to stay aggressive. We have to know we can do it. We can play with anybody in the conference or state."
The Cheesemakers built an 18-13 lead in the first game, only to see the Panthers battle back and take a 21-20 lead.
"I feel like we gave our all," Monroe senior Kayla Streff said. "It's really hard to come back in the second game after losing the first one."
In the second game, the Panthers jumped out to a 7-1 lead, which forced Gersbach to take a timeout. After the timeout, Oregon senior Emily Franklin delivered her second straight ace off a jump serve before the Cheesemakers could force a sideout on junior Jamie Armstrong's kill.
"We usually love games being called loose," Gersbach said. "It usually works out in our favor."
The Cheesemakers sliced the lead to 9-6 on three service points by Armstrong, but that's as close as they got.
"We had good team chemistry and momentum at times," Armstrong said. "We were too roller coaster like trying to come back."
The Panthers again jumped out to a 5-1 lead at the start of the third game before the Cheesemakers rallied. Monroe senior Emily Rufenacht, who had a team-high 11 digs, scored three straight service points late in a must-win third game highlighted by a kill from Armstrong to give the Cheesemakers a 21-17 lead.
The Panthers were resilient in forcing sideouts on two game-winning point attempts by the Cheesemakers.
Armstrong led the Cheesemakers with 10 kills and Streff added nine assists. Monroe junior Chelsea Wyss and sophomore Jaclyn Ditter had two blocks each.
Monroe will host Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21.
"We have been playing for it (regional tournament) for a long time," Streff said. "We are hoping to come out with a win."
In a playoff like atmosphere on an emotional senior night, the Cheesemakers lost a see-saw match to the Panthers, 26-24, 25-15, 27-25.
Monroe (6-6 Badger South) squandered late leads in two of the three games.
"It's on us," Monroe coach Dave Gersbach said. "We have to stay aggressive. We have to know we can do it. We can play with anybody in the conference or state."
The Cheesemakers built an 18-13 lead in the first game, only to see the Panthers battle back and take a 21-20 lead.
"I feel like we gave our all," Monroe senior Kayla Streff said. "It's really hard to come back in the second game after losing the first one."
In the second game, the Panthers jumped out to a 7-1 lead, which forced Gersbach to take a timeout. After the timeout, Oregon senior Emily Franklin delivered her second straight ace off a jump serve before the Cheesemakers could force a sideout on junior Jamie Armstrong's kill.
"We usually love games being called loose," Gersbach said. "It usually works out in our favor."
The Cheesemakers sliced the lead to 9-6 on three service points by Armstrong, but that's as close as they got.
"We had good team chemistry and momentum at times," Armstrong said. "We were too roller coaster like trying to come back."
The Panthers again jumped out to a 5-1 lead at the start of the third game before the Cheesemakers rallied. Monroe senior Emily Rufenacht, who had a team-high 11 digs, scored three straight service points late in a must-win third game highlighted by a kill from Armstrong to give the Cheesemakers a 21-17 lead.
The Panthers were resilient in forcing sideouts on two game-winning point attempts by the Cheesemakers.
Armstrong led the Cheesemakers with 10 kills and Streff added nine assists. Monroe junior Chelsea Wyss and sophomore Jaclyn Ditter had two blocks each.
Monroe will host Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21.
"We have been playing for it (regional tournament) for a long time," Streff said. "We are hoping to come out with a win."
