Wildcats swept by Dons in volleyball sectional

Perhaps the second-best season in Blair-Taylor volleyball history came to an end last Thursday when the team was swept by Marshfield Columbus Catholic in the Division 4 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association sectional semifinal.

The Dons were the top seed in that half of the bracket and continued their tear two days later by sweeping Stevens Point Pacelli in the sectional final to earn a berth in the WIAA State Tournament.

The Wildcats played in the state tournament last year, the same season they won their first Dairyland Conference championship. B-T repeated as conference champions this year, but the path to the state tournament took a different route, and the Wildcats came up two wins short.

B-T stumbled out of the gate in the first two sets.

The Wildcats trailed 7-2 early in the first set and were down 17-8 before making a push. B-T scored four straight points to spark a Columbus Catholic timeout. The Dons regrouped and scored the next four points and won the first set, 25-19.

The team from Marshfield scored 11 of the first 13 points in the second set. The Wildcats trailed by around 10 points for most of the set before losing 25-17.

The third set went differently as B-T got off to a strong start, scoring 10 of the first 14 points. But the Dons gradually chipped away before taking a 14-13 lead. Columbus Catholic controlled the rest of the set, winning 25-20.

Senior Chloe Medenblik led B-T with 10 kills, five blocks and three aces. Classmate Addison Lejcher added three kills and two blocks. Emma Wathke led the team with 12 assists, and Alyssa Tubbs had a team-high 11 digs. 

While the team didn’t advance to the state tournament, B-T finished this season with a better record, going 24-6, compared to last year’s 20-9 mark.