Toppers open volleyball season on the road at Menomonie Sprawl
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SMASHING DOWN this winner was Glenwood City junior Arianna DeSmith (#18) during a home match against New Auburn last Thursday, August 26. The Hilltoppers hosted a six-team tournament. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Glenwood City got its 2021 volleyball season underway last week when it competed in a pair of tournaments.
The Hilltoppers opened the new season last Tuesday, August 24 in Menomonie before returning home on Thursday to host a six-team tournament.
Although there were no scores or statistics to report, the Toppers shook off some rust and first-match jitters in a trio of matches at the Menomonie quadrangular.
They followed that up at home two days later when they played host to Gilmanton, Frederic, Somerset, Spooner and New Auburn in a six-team, two-pool format tournament.
Glenwood City finished 1-2 in its home debut to place fourth overall in the August 26 invite.
In their three-team pool, the Hilltoppers opened against Frederic. After taking a 25-20 win in the first set, Glenwood City was unable to hold off the Vikings as Frederic rebounded and notched consecutive wins by scores of 25-16 and 15-7 to take the match.
“We came out strong in the first game,” said Toppers’ first-year head coach Nikki Webert. “The girls fought back in the second game, but missed serves and not connecting at the net or on the court led to the loss.”
In its second and final match of pool play, Glenwood City took on the Lady Trojans of New Auburn in a match that also went three sets. This time, however, the Hilltoppers prevailed two sets to one as they book-ended 25-21 and 15-13 wins around a 25-22 loss.
“Great effort out on the floor in regards to digs and defense,” noted Webert of her charges play against New Auburn.
“We had a strong front row and high team energy and we’re able to place the ball in their open spots,” she added.
By virtue of its split in pool action, which was good for second, Glenwood City moved on to play for third place against the other pool’s runner-up, Spooner.
As it had done in its tournament opener against Frederic, Glenwood City pulled out a thrilling win in the opening set of its placement match, besting the Lady Rails by two points – 27-25.
Unfortunately, the Toppers could not keep the momentum going as Spooner rebounded to win the next two sets and thereby third place by close margins of 25-21 and 15-13.
“The girls had very high energy and fought back multiple times to be neck-and-neck with Spooner the entire match,” Webert noted.
“There were a handful of serving errors and defensive errors that put us behind at the end. But a very good game of volleyball was played,” concluded Webert of her players battle with Spooner.
Glenwood City will be on the road for two more multiple-school tournaments this week. The Toppers were in Amery Tuesday for a triangular and will travel south to Durand on Thursday for a quad before heading into the Labor Day break.