MONROE - Progress can even be found in defeat. Monroe girls volleyball coach Dave Gersbach saw positive signs Thursday despite the Cheesemakers' 25-23, 25-19, 25-16 home loss to Madison Edgewood.
"The girls are really growing," Gersbach said. "The best thing I saw tonight is that they continue to build. We had good execution. I thought for the most part we played really scrappy. We played with our hearts tonight and nobody let up."
Monroe certainly scrapped Thursday.
In the opening game, the two teams traded leads, with neither gaining more than a three-point advantage. Trailing 18-16, Monroe rattled off five of the next six points to take a 21-19 lead. But the Crusaders countered and rallied with a 6-2 run.
In the second game, Monroe got off to a hot start and led 7-5, thanks to a couple of big kills by junior Jamie Armstrong. Monroe battled before Edgewood went on an 8-2 run that propelled the Crusaders to the win.
Monroe dug itself too big of a hole in the third game. Edgewood, filled with club players and one-sport athletes, seized momentum and jumped out to a 10-3 lead. Following a serve into the net, the Cheesemakers and its electric crowd turned up the noise.
The Cheese went on a 10-1 run and took a 13-11 lead. As soon as that 13th point fell (a kill by junior Chelsea Wyss), Edgewood head coach Steve Bleier called a timeout.
Momentum stopped.
"It's always a momentum breaker when you get that timeout," Gersbach said. "We like to use it as a positive because they had to burn a timeout on that. I think we kept the pressure on, but Steve (Bleier) is a good coach. He got the right lineup back in there and they executed against our defense."
Edgewood then went on a run of its own, closing the match on a 14-3 run.
"In years past, we'd fold under pressure and a little bit of that showed in that third match," Gersbach said. "But for the first two, they were in it from point one. When we look back on it, I think we will see some missed opportunities. But for the most part I was pleased with the way they played against the first team in the conference."
Armstrong led Monroe with nine kills, five blocks and an ace. Wyss and Chrissy Marti finished with three kills apiece. Brianna Zimmerman had seven assists and two service aces. Kayla Streff had eight assists. Jaclyn Ditter had four blocks. Emily Rufenacht had 13 digs and Marissa Ubert added four digs.
For Edgewood, Ashley Ring had 10 kills, Kristi Palm had 13 digs and five aces, Abby Clear had four blocks and Olivia Dittman had 33 assists.
Monroe next plays at the Brodhead Invite on Saturday and then at Stoughton on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
"The girls are really growing," Gersbach said. "The best thing I saw tonight is that they continue to build. We had good execution. I thought for the most part we played really scrappy. We played with our hearts tonight and nobody let up."
Monroe certainly scrapped Thursday.
In the opening game, the two teams traded leads, with neither gaining more than a three-point advantage. Trailing 18-16, Monroe rattled off five of the next six points to take a 21-19 lead. But the Crusaders countered and rallied with a 6-2 run.
In the second game, Monroe got off to a hot start and led 7-5, thanks to a couple of big kills by junior Jamie Armstrong. Monroe battled before Edgewood went on an 8-2 run that propelled the Crusaders to the win.
Monroe dug itself too big of a hole in the third game. Edgewood, filled with club players and one-sport athletes, seized momentum and jumped out to a 10-3 lead. Following a serve into the net, the Cheesemakers and its electric crowd turned up the noise.
The Cheese went on a 10-1 run and took a 13-11 lead. As soon as that 13th point fell (a kill by junior Chelsea Wyss), Edgewood head coach Steve Bleier called a timeout.
Momentum stopped.
"It's always a momentum breaker when you get that timeout," Gersbach said. "We like to use it as a positive because they had to burn a timeout on that. I think we kept the pressure on, but Steve (Bleier) is a good coach. He got the right lineup back in there and they executed against our defense."
Edgewood then went on a run of its own, closing the match on a 14-3 run.
"In years past, we'd fold under pressure and a little bit of that showed in that third match," Gersbach said. "But for the first two, they were in it from point one. When we look back on it, I think we will see some missed opportunities. But for the most part I was pleased with the way they played against the first team in the conference."
Armstrong led Monroe with nine kills, five blocks and an ace. Wyss and Chrissy Marti finished with three kills apiece. Brianna Zimmerman had seven assists and two service aces. Kayla Streff had eight assists. Jaclyn Ditter had four blocks. Emily Rufenacht had 13 digs and Marissa Ubert added four digs.
For Edgewood, Ashley Ring had 10 kills, Kristi Palm had 13 digs and five aces, Abby Clear had four blocks and Olivia Dittman had 33 assists.
Monroe next plays at the Brodhead Invite on Saturday and then at Stoughton on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
