MONROE - Volleyball for many teams remains a game defined by mistakes. Having a short memory and rebounding from miscues separates the contenders from the pretenders come tournament time.
With a team filled with young hitters, Monroe struggled to shake off some miscues and lost its final Badger South Conference match to Oregon 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 Thursday.
"We got down on ourselves a little too much," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "We have to find a way to forget about it and come back. It hurts. The girls just want to win so bad. They have to be mentally prepared to stay in it. They were scrappy again. Our middle name this year is scrappy."
Oregon (2-3 Badger South) jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the first set. The Panthers found some success early on with the tip. The Cheesemakers' young hitters at times displayed a penchant for racking up key points, but at other moments struggled hitting into the Panthers' double block at the net. The Panthers lead ballooned to 18-7 before the Cheesemakers (6-18, 0-6 Badger South) rallied. Monroe sophomore Alicia Kuester delivered a kill and junior Hannah Vetterli scored on a tip to cut the Panthers' lead to 22-14. Monroe senior Lauren Curtis had a clutch ace to cut the Panthers' lead to 22-16, but that was as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
The second set was a see-saw affair until the Panthers won nine of 10 points to build a 19-11 lead. The Cheesemakers trailed by as many as 11 points, 23-11, before they forced a sideout that sparked a rally. Monroe senior Kari Jordan scored four straight service points to cut the Panthers' lead to 23-16. Curtis had another ace and Vetterli delivered a kill to trim the Panthers' lead to 24-20.
"We just have to pay attention to where the blockers are at and keep our minds into it," Vetterli said. "If you don't keep your mind into it you will hit it into the net or hit it out."
Curtis is confident the Cheesemakers can compete with the Panthers and other teams in the conference.
"I feel like we could have beat them," Curtis said. "I know they are beatable. We just have to play to our full potential."
The Panthers had 10 service errors in the match, but Witt wanted the Cheesemakers to take advantage of the miscues more.
"I think we probably could have done a little bit more," Witt said. "When Oregon was making mistakes we didn't take advantage of it like we should have."
In the final set, the Cheesemakers appeared to be on the verge of winning and forcing a fourth set. Kuester had a key block to cut an early Panthers' lead to 9-8. Vetterli scored on a tip and the Panthers were called for a net violation that tied the set at 15. Kuester gave the Cheesemakers a short-lived 17-16 lead with a set over the Panthers' front row. Oregon sophomore Maggie Sampson then had an ace to help the Panthers regain a 19-17 lead. The Cheesemakers struggled at the end of the third set with passing to set up junior setter Paige Murphy and to give hitters a chance to put the ball away.
"We put our passes too close to the net and our setter couldn't set it up," Witt said.
The Cheesemakers have a core of young hitters led by Vetterli, Kuester and sophomore Chloe Schroeder.
"The young players are really stepping up," Witt said. "The young ones can only get better."
Kuester had a team-high seven kills. Jordan had four kills and three aces. Schroeder had two blocks.
Murphy had nine assists and five digs. Vetterli chipped in three digs and sophomore Hannah Neuenschwander added seven assists.
Monroe wrapped up conference play, but will play in the Wisconsin Heights Invite Saturday, will host DeForest Thursday, Oct. 9 before playing in the Badger Conference tournament Saturday, Oct. 11 in Milton.
"I'm really hoping we can light it up when we get there," Witt said.
Vetterli is looking forward to the conference tournament as a second season for the Cheesemakers.
"I think when we get our first conference win it will motivate us and show that we are capable and we can do it," she said. "It will help us fight for the next game."
With a team filled with young hitters, Monroe struggled to shake off some miscues and lost its final Badger South Conference match to Oregon 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 Thursday.
"We got down on ourselves a little too much," Monroe coach Heidi Witt said. "We have to find a way to forget about it and come back. It hurts. The girls just want to win so bad. They have to be mentally prepared to stay in it. They were scrappy again. Our middle name this year is scrappy."
Oregon (2-3 Badger South) jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the first set. The Panthers found some success early on with the tip. The Cheesemakers' young hitters at times displayed a penchant for racking up key points, but at other moments struggled hitting into the Panthers' double block at the net. The Panthers lead ballooned to 18-7 before the Cheesemakers (6-18, 0-6 Badger South) rallied. Monroe sophomore Alicia Kuester delivered a kill and junior Hannah Vetterli scored on a tip to cut the Panthers' lead to 22-14. Monroe senior Lauren Curtis had a clutch ace to cut the Panthers' lead to 22-16, but that was as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
The second set was a see-saw affair until the Panthers won nine of 10 points to build a 19-11 lead. The Cheesemakers trailed by as many as 11 points, 23-11, before they forced a sideout that sparked a rally. Monroe senior Kari Jordan scored four straight service points to cut the Panthers' lead to 23-16. Curtis had another ace and Vetterli delivered a kill to trim the Panthers' lead to 24-20.
"We just have to pay attention to where the blockers are at and keep our minds into it," Vetterli said. "If you don't keep your mind into it you will hit it into the net or hit it out."
Curtis is confident the Cheesemakers can compete with the Panthers and other teams in the conference.
"I feel like we could have beat them," Curtis said. "I know they are beatable. We just have to play to our full potential."
The Panthers had 10 service errors in the match, but Witt wanted the Cheesemakers to take advantage of the miscues more.
"I think we probably could have done a little bit more," Witt said. "When Oregon was making mistakes we didn't take advantage of it like we should have."
In the final set, the Cheesemakers appeared to be on the verge of winning and forcing a fourth set. Kuester had a key block to cut an early Panthers' lead to 9-8. Vetterli scored on a tip and the Panthers were called for a net violation that tied the set at 15. Kuester gave the Cheesemakers a short-lived 17-16 lead with a set over the Panthers' front row. Oregon sophomore Maggie Sampson then had an ace to help the Panthers regain a 19-17 lead. The Cheesemakers struggled at the end of the third set with passing to set up junior setter Paige Murphy and to give hitters a chance to put the ball away.
"We put our passes too close to the net and our setter couldn't set it up," Witt said.
The Cheesemakers have a core of young hitters led by Vetterli, Kuester and sophomore Chloe Schroeder.
"The young players are really stepping up," Witt said. "The young ones can only get better."
Kuester had a team-high seven kills. Jordan had four kills and three aces. Schroeder had two blocks.
Murphy had nine assists and five digs. Vetterli chipped in three digs and sophomore Hannah Neuenschwander added seven assists.
Monroe wrapped up conference play, but will play in the Wisconsin Heights Invite Saturday, will host DeForest Thursday, Oct. 9 before playing in the Badger Conference tournament Saturday, Oct. 11 in Milton.
"I'm really hoping we can light it up when we get there," Witt said.
Vetterli is looking forward to the conference tournament as a second season for the Cheesemakers.
"I think when we get our first conference win it will motivate us and show that we are capable and we can do it," she said. "It will help us fight for the next game."
