Boyceville volleyball season ends with 5-set WIAA regional loss to Thorp Cards
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POWER HIT — Chelsi Holden (#11) of Boyceville delivered a kill during a WIAA Division 4 regional volleyball game in Thorp October 22. The Bulldogs lost in five sets to concluded their 2024 season. —photo by Rochelle Olson
THORP — This one will sting for a bit!
In last Tuesday’s WIAA Division 4 regional volleyball opener, Boyceville, the tenth seed, jumped to a two sets to none advantage over seventh seed and host Thorp and led 16-10 in the third set.
But, just when it appeared that the visiting Bulldogs might be on the verge of earning a sweep in their October 22 regional quarterfinal’s match, things began to unravel.
The Cardinals rallied to win that third game, 25-23, and then evened the match with a 26-24 victory in the fourth set.
Undaunted, the Lady Dogs forged ahead in the fifth and deciding set as they took an early 10-4 advantage and looked to close out the set for the match win.
Thorp, however, had other ideas. The Cardinals came screaming back and eventually won the final set and match 15-13.
The contest proved to be evenly matched throughout as all five sets were decided by three points or less including four sets by just two points.
Boyceville took the first two sets on scores of 25-23 and 25-22 before Thorp won the final three games and match to advance to last Thursday’s regional semifinal were they were beaten by second seed Eau Claire Regis.The Lady Ramblers went on to win the regional title with a three-set sweep of Dunn-St. Croix runner-up Elmwood-Plum City on Saturday, October 26.
The Bulldogs registered 49 kills in its regional contest in Thorp. Zoey Hellendrung and Aubrey Malean topped that statistical category with 15 kills each and Chelsi Holden added ten. Of the squad’s 46 assists, 26 were posted by Delaney Olson with another 18 coming from Gretta Guy.
Boyceville had 12 ace serves in the Thorp match, but finished with 11 service errors. Holden had a third of the ace serves with four while Malean and Olson each finished with three and Hellendrung had two.
Defensively, Boyceville had a whopping 117 digs versus the Cardinals’ offensive attacks. Six players finished in double digits. Hellendrung led with 26 digs, Malean finished with 19, Mercedes Barstad tallied 18, Holden and Olson had 17 each and Guy tallied 15. Holden also registered a trio of solo blocks and assisted on a pair. Emma Harvey assisted on three blocks while Lillian Lane, Holden and Olson each collaborated on two.
Boyceville, who finished 8-17 on the season, will return nearly its entire roster next season with the exception of all-conference selection and senior team leader Delaney Olson.