When you play on a volleyball team with outside hitters like Sammy Davis and Addy Foor, opportunities at the net can be hard to find.
But that doesn’t mean players like Zoe Emineth and Emma Dobbins haven’t made a big difference for Aquinas High School and its march toward the WIAA Division 3 state tournament.
The top-seeded Blugolds (27-4) will rise bright and early to play fourth-seeded Bonduel (29-4) in a semifinal matchup at 8 a.m. Friday at the Resch Center in Green Bay, and they will put on the court a team that has won 10 straight matches and pushing for the chance to play for a championship on Saturday.
While it’s fair to look at the dominant performances of Davis (342 kills) and Foor (337 kills) as the primary reason for success, coach Danielle Dolan knows it extends well beyond those free and powerful swingers.
Players like Emineth and Dobbins at the net and Kathryn Savoldelli, Tessa Miskowski and Josephine Lawton away from it have turned Aquinas into a team that was ranked first by state coaches and beat two very good teams — Cuba City and Laconia — in five-set sectional matches.
Emineth was a serious force in the 25-22, 19-25, 15-25, 25-21, 15-7 win over Laconia on Saturday with eight blocks, eight kills and six digs, while Miskowski had a team-high 21 digs and Lawton — back for the sectional after missing the regional matches with an ankle injury — contributed 48 assists to go with 14 digs.
“As a middle, I feel like I’m just trying to find an open spot on the court,” said Emineth, who has 92 kills and a team-high 46 total blocks. “In the middle, we have both angles, so you can go either way.
“But I also want to take advantage of every set I get because there aren’t a lot coming my way.”
Dobbins came through big at key moments of the 24-26, 25-22, 25-20, 15-25, 15-13 semifinal win over Cuba City — last year’s sectional champion — and has been a player Dolan said her team has relied upon plenty throughout the season. Miskowski leads the team in digs with 382 and ranks second on the team with 34 service aces.
They are both part of a senior class that Dolan has been around since joining a couple of years ago the program she once played for in high school.
“Something that’s been special about this group of seniors to me is not only have I coached Kathryn, Tessa, Emma and Josie before at the (junior varsity) level, but Tessa and Kathryn have siblings I know, and I actually played with Tessa’s sister (Ceci) in the state championship match (in 2016).
“It’s special for me to be part of these girls’ careers.”
Lawton appreciates getting back on the court after her ankle injury and the chance to finish off a season that she said has made her feel like a spoiled setter. That’s understandable with Davis, Foor, Emineth and Dobbins around, but they can’t excel without her when healthy.
“Even if I put up a bad ball, I have hitters that can put it away,” said Lawton, who averages 8.8 assists per set with 683 this season. “I feel so lucky to have them all.
“We have a great team, and we work well together. We all trust each other a lot, and that helps.”
Dolan’s senior season ended with a loss to Howards Grove in the Division 3 championship match on the same court. The Blugolds were 32-4 that season, and Dolan led the team with 23 assists and 12 digs in the defeat at the hands of Howards Grove.
The experience is one she remembers well and has been eager to share with current players. Although the MVC has two qualifiers this season (Holmen also qualified in Division 1), it hasn’t been commonplace over the years.
Aquinas did get back to state three years after Dolan graduated, and the Vikings have now been there twice since 2021, but those are the conference’s first state appearances since the most recent of Tomah’s four in 1996.
“It’s exciting,” Dolan said. “The excitement is what I tried to channel as a player and is what I’m trying to channel as a coach.
“The nerves are natural, and they will come, but I want them to be proud of themselves for getting to this point. At the end of the day, when we play loose and not tense, we play our best volleyball.”
Savoldelli’s style of play can help the Blugolds stay loose because she can do just about anything they need on the court. Whether it is digging out the tough shot, jumping on an attack or coming up with a big run with the serve, Savoldelli has been there for her team.
“I like to be the calm person on the team if everyone is stressing out,” she said. “I like to get everyone to take a breath and think about what we need to do.”
Savoldelli has also made a point to learn the game from every position on the floor. That commitment has given Dolan plenty of ways to utilize her in the lineup. Savoldelli considers herself to be the role player who can do whatever is needed.
“She has probably surprised me in the best possible way this season,” Dolan said of Savoldelli. “Her athleticism and competitiveness is just unmatched, and anytime she gets a crazy tough on a ball — even if it doesn’t go over — I’m like, ‘That would have hit me in the face.’
“Her reaction time and raw grit to get to every single ball she can has really made a difference in this team this year.”
