Topper netters beat Bulldogs for first conference win
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GLENWOOD CITY senior Eliza Voeltz is shown receiving a serve during the Hilltoppers’ home match against Boyceville last Thursday, October 6. Glenwood City won the match three sets to one. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Volleyball wins, especially in conference, have not been easy to come by for either Glenwood City or Boyceville.
In fact, neither team had won a match in Dunn-St. Croix play heading into last Thursday’s showdown in Glenwood City between the two rivals.
But, one squad would end that drought and earn its first conference win of the season.
That team would be the host Hilltoppers who earned a three sets to one victory over the Bulldogs in the October 6 match.
Ironically, all three of Glenwood City’s set wins were by identical scores of 25-20 as they took the first, third and fourth sets while Boyceville won the second 25-23.
“Thursday night was definitely needed for our teams,” stated Glenwood City head coach Nikki Webert.
“The energy in the first, third and fourth sets were at the level we wanted to have,” added Webert. “We had a few low points but our girls were ale to work themselves back from the points they lost. During those sets is where we had the most serving aces, blocks and kills.”
Not only did Glenwood City earn a three-match sweep of Boyceville with wins in the junior varsity and C-team contest but the Toppers’ 7th and 8th grade squad both defeated Elk Mound earlier that same evening.
“We had five games at home and all our teams took home wins,” noted an elated Webert.
SMASH — Hilltopper senior Aria DeSmith (#10) played well in a home match against Boyceville October 6. Above, DeSmith is shown scoring one of the many kills she made during the match which the Hilltoppers won. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
The victory gave the Hilltoppers a 1-4 record in conference play while the Bulldogs slipped to 0-5. Both squads will finish the regular season with a pair of conference games this week. Glenwood City was in Colfax last night and hosts Elk Mound on Thursday while Boyceville hosted Mondovi yesterday before traveling to Durand on Thursday. Both teams open the WIAA Division 3 tournament play next Tuesday, October 18. Although seedings and pairings were not completed as of Tuesday’s press time, both squad will likely have road games.
Glenwood City got off to a quick 4-0 start in the opening set thanks to a pair of kills by senior Aria DeSmith who proved to be a force for the Toppers throughout the match.
But, Boyceville responded to knot the game at four all highlighted by a Hannah Dunn ace serve and a point from Hailey Hanestad.
Glenwood City regained the advantage at 7-4 with an ace by DeSmith and a block from Michaela Blaser. The Bulldogs would comeback to knot the score on kills by Hanestad and Andrea Jensen.
The game went back-and-forth until Boyceville scored five unanswered points to take a 15-10 lead.
The Toppers, however, would slowly pick away at the Bulldogs’ advantage as Ellery Unser scored on a deep tip and DeSmith added another kill.
Glenwood City service errors though helped Boyceville maintain a three to four-point advantage. The Toppers were able to tie the set at 18 and moved ahead on a trio of aces by DeSmith and another Blaser block for a 24-20 lead. Devynn Olson finished off the set with a kill to give Glenwood City the 25-20 win.
In the second game, it was the Bulldogs that opened with a 4-0 run thanks to a Dunn ace and several net serves by the Toppers.
BULLDOG senior Cambrie Reisimer (#20) tipped the ball during a conference volleyball match in Glenwood City October 6. Boyceville fell to Glenwood City in four sets. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
But Glenwood City eventually caught Boyceville and the set stayed tight til the end as a couple of Glenwood City errors combined with tip and kill by the Bulldogs helped them even the match at one all with the 25-23 win.
The third set was much like the first two as the Bulldogs and Hilltoppers battled through several lead changes and tied scores. Another Blaser block and three straight ace serves by DeSmith put the Toppers ahead 20-15. From there, Glenwood City went on to post a 25-20 win for a two sets to one advantage.
After a 5-5 tie to start the fourth set, Glenwood City grew its lead to as many as five points but the Bulldogs roared back and finally knotted the game at 19 all. Alex Peterson and Unser each scored a pair of aces as the Toppers went on to take the set and match 25-20.
Boyceville finished with 36 kills with Cambrie Reisimer and Hanestad leading with ten each while Jensen added nine. Hanestad finished with four of the Bulldogs’ ten aces while Jacey Guy led with 15 of the team’s 38 digs.
Glenwood City did not provide any final statistics.
Immanuel Sweeps
Prior to the match in Glenwood City, Boyceville hosted Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Tuesday, October 4.
The Lancers won in three sets by scores of 25-18, 25-18 and 25-15.
In the match, Boyceville had 18 kills as Jensen and Dunn led with four each and finished with 43 digs as Olivia Ponath topped the charts with a dozen with Guy adding 11.
GC at Somerset Invite
Unfortunately, Glenwood City could not carry the momentum from the Boyceville victory into Saturday’s tournament at Somerset.
The Hilltopper lost all four of their matches in two sets.
Glenwood City fell to Stanley-Boyd 6-25 and 12-25, Ellsworth 12-25 and 23-25, Barron 12-25 and 20-25 and Shell Lake 20-25 and 14-25.