Glenwood City volleyball struggles at Menomonie quad, bests Chetek-Weyerhaeuser at home

By Cara L. Dempski

The Lady Hilltoppers volleyball team is already doing better than last year, and they’re barely a week into the new season.

Glenwood City opened the 2017 season with an August 22 road trip to a quad at Menomonie. The Toppers lost all three matches against Menomonie, Barron and Prescott in their first outing of the season, but coach Christa Blaser said the team played with more confidence than she has seen in quite some time.

There were no player statistics available for the game, but the varsity team lost to Menomonie 25-20 and 25-17, Barron 25-15 and 25-23, and Prescott 25-22 and 25-17.

The team’s new-found confidence carried over into its August 24 home opener against Chetek-Weyerhaeuser. The Hilltoppers won their first match since 2014 in a four-set slugging match with the Bulldogs that Glenwood City eventually took 3-1.

The Toppers were one and three at the start of their second week of play. They hosted Amery August 28 and  Owen-Withee August 29, and will head to Ellsworth for a triangular Thursday, August 31. After a short break for the Labor Day holiday weekend, the Hilltoppers will head to Northwestern September 5.

The opening game against Chetek-Weyerhaeuser last Thursday was a little rough, according to Blaser, but the team picked up the pace in the final three sets for the win. The Lady Toppers dropped the first game 25-18, but then followed up with winning scores of 25-22, 25-23 and 25-18.

“The win was a big mental piece for these athletes,” Blaser said. “We have a great coaching staff with different dynamics, and give a great combination for the girls to work with and has been key to the growth of the program.”

The Hilltoppers logged 27 kills against the Bulldogs, with Jenesa Klinger leading the way with eight. Blaser credits the team’s success with shifting players to their optimum positions on the court.

Tressa Peskar, who formerly played on the left side, was moved to the middle to make way for Klinger on the left side.