Wildcats sweep Buffaloes, edge Norse
After a convincing sweep to start the week, the Blair-Taylor volleyball team needed to rally in its Dairyland Conference opener.
B-T controlled all three sets in its win over Mondovi on Tuesday. On Thursday, however, the Wildcats scored a combined 28 points in the first two sets, falling behind 0-2. The Wildcats got going in the third set, however, winning three straight to take the match.
The Wildcats had a 7-4 record at the start of this week before a big conference match at home against Cochrane-Fountain City on Tuesday. B-T will be in action again next Monday at Augusta and at Eleva-Strum on Thursday.
B-T 25 25 25
MON 15 17 21
The Wildcats cruised to wins in the first two sets, then completed the sweep.
Junior Chloe Medenblik dominated at the net with 22 kills and three blocks, both team highs. Senior Andrea Waldera was second on the team with four kills while Addison Lejcher had three. Avery Petersen, Alyssa Tubbs, Katerina Barczak and Charlys Horton all had one.
Lejcher led the team with four service aces, Waldera finished with three; Tubbs, two and both Landonn Daffinson and Medenblik had one.
Elissa Smetana had 13 set assists to lead B-T, one more than Horton. Lejcher led the team with seven digs, one more than Waldera.
B-T 9 19 25 25 15
WHS 25 25 16 18 13
The Wildcats had a difficult time recovering after a slow start, but the team won the last three sets.
B-T managed just nine points in a lopsided first set. The team was closer in the second, but Whitehall still had a convincing win, 25-19.
Then the match turned around.
B-T got going at the net to come away with a couple of convincing wins in the third and fourth sets, tying the match. The deciding set was close, but B-T came out with a 15-13 win to take the match.
Medenblik and Waldera both had big nights at the net, Medenblik finished with 18 kills while Waldera added 12. Waldera also had five blocks. Lejcher added six kills; Horton, five; Tubbs, three; and Smetana, two.
Both Waldera and Lejcher had two aces, while Daffinson, Medenblik and Horton all had one. Smetana handled much of the setting duties, finishing with 27 assists, while Horton came in with 10.
Medenblik was also active away from the net, leading the team with 16 digs, two more than Tubbs and Lejcher while Waldera finished with 11.
Bria Pank led the Norse with 12 kills, while adding five aces, four blocks and 12 assists. Aryana Ausderau had 10 kills and six blocks while freshman Rani Waldera had five kills and five blocks.
Kyla Lambeck led the team with 16 assists and added 11 digs. Paige Lisowski had 14 digs and three kills. Kelsi Klomsten added five kills and two blocks while Harlow Foss had three aces, three kills and one block. Avvia Herman added 12 digs.
