Bulldog spikers split pair of conference matches

A pair of five-set matches yielded different results for the Bulldogs’ volleyball squad this past week.

After dropping a heartbreaker in Elk Mound October 6, Boyceville returned home to face Elmwood two days later and rallied from a two set to one deficit to put an end to its three-match conference losing skid in its regular season home finale.

The win over the Raiders moved the Bulldogs, now 4-3 in the Dunn-St. Croix, into a fourth-place tie with Elmwood. Boyceville, which is 12-10 overall, will wrapped up the conference and regular season action this week with a pair of road matches. The Bulldogs closed out D-SC play last evening (October 12) in Glenwood City where they faced the winless Hilltoppers before traveling to Somerset on Thursday, October 15 for the regular season finale.

The WIAA tournament will begin next Tuesday, October 20 with the regional quarterfinals. The Bulldogs will not know who they play or where until after this Wednesday’s seeding meetings.

Elmwood

Elmwood boosted a six-match win streak including four straight wins in the Dunn-St. Croix when it visited Boyceville Thursday, October 8.

And the Raiders looked to make it seven straight as it took a 25-16 win over the reeling Bulldogs, who had dropped their last three conference tilts after a quick 3-0 start to the D-SC season.

But Boyceville battled back in the second set to take a tight two-point victory, 27-25, over Elmwood.

The Raiders returned the favor as they won by two in the fourth third set, 26-24.

Down by a set, Boyceville found its game in the fourth set as it bounded to a 14-4 lead. Elmwood would rally cutting the deficit to just four at 22-18.

But the Bulldogs were able to close out the set for a 25-18 win and even the match at two sets each.

Boyceville bolted to a 9-1 advantage in the fifth and final set and went on to earn a 15-8 victory to claim the match on parents’ and seniors’ night.

“We played with a lot of heart against Elmwood,” noted Corrie Roemhild, Boyceville head coach. “We were not consistent throughout (the match), but we really dug in and held strong in the final two sets.”

“It was nice to walk away with a win.”

Statically-speaking, Cassie Malean finished with ten digs and six kills; Hannah Guy tallied a dozen digs to lead the Bulldogs in that category as well as a pair of aces and five kills; Madysn Riek topped the charts with 11 kills for the match and added nine digs; Marki Lagerstrom also had nine digs to go along with a pair of aces; Jenna Beyrer tallied five digs; Erica Sempf scored six kills; and Morgan Kuhn had a whopping 30 assistants and five digs.

Elk Mound

Boyceville came within a few points of knocking off then-unbeaten Elk Mound on its home floor Tuesday, October 6.

The Bulldogs stunned the Mounders by taking a two sets to none lead with wins of 25-19 and 25-22.

It appeared that Boyceville might tag Elk Mound with a three-set sweep but the Mounders rallied for a two-point, 26-24 victory in the third. Elk Mound knotted the match at two sets aside with a 25-18 win in the fourth. The Mounders then dominated the fifth and final set winning 15-3 to secure the match win and remain unbeaten in conference action.

“We started off strong,” stated Roemhild. “We put up a lot of blocks and were very scrappy but that third game loss made it very difficult for us to get our momentum back.”

Cassie Malean had a dozen digs, two aces and four kills; Hannah Guy added 13 digs and five kills; Madysn Riek had eight kills and eight digs and two aces; Marki Lagerstrom and Jenna Beyrer had seven and four digs respectively; Erica Sempf finished with three kills; and Morgan Kuhn chalked up 22 assists.