MONROE - In a final tuneup before the Badger South Conference tournament, Monroe lost a three-set match to Oregon Thursday.
Monroe senior Paige Murphy noticed a difference in Monroe on Senior Night despite the Panthers sweeping the Cheesemakers 26-24, 25-8, 25-22.
"We definitely had to dig deeper after that first game," Murphy said. "We really have to believe in ourselves and want it. We were hoping to get some momentum going into the conference tournament this weekend."
It was a see-saw first game. Monroe (6-18, 0-6 Badger South) rallied from a 7-3 deficit early on. Monroe junior Chloe Schroeder and sophomore Sydney Mathiason each had kills to spark the Cheesemakers. Junior teammate Lexus Trickel had a powerful spike and senior Hannah Vetterli had an ace to help the Cheesemakers cut the Panthers' lead to 12-10.
The Panthers extended their lead to 19-13 before the Cheesemakers again stormed back. Vetterli scored on a tip and junior Hannah Neuenschwander delivered an ace to help the Cheesemakers slice the Panthers' lead to 21-18.
Monroe junior Lexi Hilliard had back-to-back aces to tie the game at 23. The Cheesemakers took a short-lived 24-23 lead, but couldn't close out the game.
"When we have got down we have dug ourselves out a lot quicker," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "They have made improvements playing hard the whole time and coming back. In the first and third sets, I was really proud of how they played. Nothing is easy in this conference. We know that."
In the second set, the Panthers jumped out to a 10-3 lead and the Cheesemakers got off to an inauspicious start. Vetterli had a block to cut the Panthers' lead to 10-4, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Oregon sophomore middle hitter Alyssa Milski and senior Amanda Sagen each had kills as the Panthers rolled to an 18-7 lead and never looked back.
"I don't know what happened in that second set," Witt said.
Mathiason finished with a team-high five kills. Vetterli and Trickel each had three kills. Neuenschwander racked up a team-best 10 assists and had two aces. Hilliard racked up 10 digs and posted two aces. Murphy had five assists and Vetterli chipped in six digs.
Witt likes the way Trickel has developed and improved as an outside hitter.
"Lexus always manages to find the line," Witt said. "She always finds a way to get the key hits when we need them. She always kills it before a sub comes in."
Oregon (11-12, 2-4 Badger South) again got off to a hot start in the final game, building an 8-2 lead. The Cheesemakers mounted a comeback with Mathiason's kill to cut the Panthers' lead to 9-4. The Cheesemakers were called for two double hits on sets two straight times and the Panthers' lead ballooned to 12-6.
Witt said double hitting on sets has been a point of emphasis by officials all season.
"When they judge it by the spin of the ball you can't do that," she said. "It's not necessarily a double hit. It's frustrating. That has been the big call this year."
The Panthers hit three balls out of bounds midway through the set as the Cheesemakers cut the deficit to 16-15. Oregon senior Sam Girard had an ace. Milski had six straight service points including two aces to give the Panthers a 23-15 lead.
The Cheesemakers wouldn't go away. Neuenschwander had five straight service points to cut the Panthers' lead to 24-22, but the Panthers withstood the Cheesemakers' comeback.
Girard and Oregon junior Liz Andriacchi each had nine kills. Milski notched 13 digs and had four aces. Oregon junior Emmie Wiedemann had a team-high eight blocks.
"Our serving was a big thing," Murphy said of the final set. "We had good passing to the setter and great hits."
Murphy said the Cheesemakers are still working to play with more consistency to avoid a lull or letdown in big moments in matches.
Monroe will play in the Badger South Conference tournament Saturday in Monona.
"I really think this year we can go further in the conference tournament than what people expect us to go," Murphy said. "Hopefully, we don't take last."
Witt has high expectations for the conference tournament Saturday with senior starters.
"They really wanted this one badly," Witt said. "I hope we can end the season with a few more wins. These girls are resilient. They know their season is coming to an end really soon."
Monroe senior Paige Murphy noticed a difference in Monroe on Senior Night despite the Panthers sweeping the Cheesemakers 26-24, 25-8, 25-22.
"We definitely had to dig deeper after that first game," Murphy said. "We really have to believe in ourselves and want it. We were hoping to get some momentum going into the conference tournament this weekend."
It was a see-saw first game. Monroe (6-18, 0-6 Badger South) rallied from a 7-3 deficit early on. Monroe junior Chloe Schroeder and sophomore Sydney Mathiason each had kills to spark the Cheesemakers. Junior teammate Lexus Trickel had a powerful spike and senior Hannah Vetterli had an ace to help the Cheesemakers cut the Panthers' lead to 12-10.
The Panthers extended their lead to 19-13 before the Cheesemakers again stormed back. Vetterli scored on a tip and junior Hannah Neuenschwander delivered an ace to help the Cheesemakers slice the Panthers' lead to 21-18.
Monroe junior Lexi Hilliard had back-to-back aces to tie the game at 23. The Cheesemakers took a short-lived 24-23 lead, but couldn't close out the game.
"When we have got down we have dug ourselves out a lot quicker," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "They have made improvements playing hard the whole time and coming back. In the first and third sets, I was really proud of how they played. Nothing is easy in this conference. We know that."
In the second set, the Panthers jumped out to a 10-3 lead and the Cheesemakers got off to an inauspicious start. Vetterli had a block to cut the Panthers' lead to 10-4, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Oregon sophomore middle hitter Alyssa Milski and senior Amanda Sagen each had kills as the Panthers rolled to an 18-7 lead and never looked back.
"I don't know what happened in that second set," Witt said.
Mathiason finished with a team-high five kills. Vetterli and Trickel each had three kills. Neuenschwander racked up a team-best 10 assists and had two aces. Hilliard racked up 10 digs and posted two aces. Murphy had five assists and Vetterli chipped in six digs.
Witt likes the way Trickel has developed and improved as an outside hitter.
"Lexus always manages to find the line," Witt said. "She always finds a way to get the key hits when we need them. She always kills it before a sub comes in."
Oregon (11-12, 2-4 Badger South) again got off to a hot start in the final game, building an 8-2 lead. The Cheesemakers mounted a comeback with Mathiason's kill to cut the Panthers' lead to 9-4. The Cheesemakers were called for two double hits on sets two straight times and the Panthers' lead ballooned to 12-6.
Witt said double hitting on sets has been a point of emphasis by officials all season.
"When they judge it by the spin of the ball you can't do that," she said. "It's not necessarily a double hit. It's frustrating. That has been the big call this year."
The Panthers hit three balls out of bounds midway through the set as the Cheesemakers cut the deficit to 16-15. Oregon senior Sam Girard had an ace. Milski had six straight service points including two aces to give the Panthers a 23-15 lead.
The Cheesemakers wouldn't go away. Neuenschwander had five straight service points to cut the Panthers' lead to 24-22, but the Panthers withstood the Cheesemakers' comeback.
Girard and Oregon junior Liz Andriacchi each had nine kills. Milski notched 13 digs and had four aces. Oregon junior Emmie Wiedemann had a team-high eight blocks.
"Our serving was a big thing," Murphy said of the final set. "We had good passing to the setter and great hits."
Murphy said the Cheesemakers are still working to play with more consistency to avoid a lull or letdown in big moments in matches.
Monroe will play in the Badger South Conference tournament Saturday in Monona.
"I really think this year we can go further in the conference tournament than what people expect us to go," Murphy said. "Hopefully, we don't take last."
Witt has high expectations for the conference tournament Saturday with senior starters.
"They really wanted this one badly," Witt said. "I hope we can end the season with a few more wins. These girls are resilient. They know their season is coming to an end really soon."
