LA CROSSE — Onalaska High School volleyball coach Jess Rohde knew how important blocking would be when her team opened its season against Aquinas on Tuesday.
With a powerful hitter like Sammy Davis on the other side of the net, the Hilltoppers had to zero in on some kind of counter and had the athleticism to do it.
Led by junior Kendall Carlson, Onalaska executed that plan and turned it into an impressive 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22 win at the Reinhart Athletic Complex.
“We worked really hard at closing the block (Monday) at practice,” Rohde said. “That and pushing, pressing and being over the net prior to the hitter hitting it.”
The Blugolds, who won the MVC and played in the WIAA Division 3 state tournament last season, predictably fed Davis time after time. The strategy makes sense with such a powerful and reliable hitter, but the Hilltoppers were ready with their own strategy.
Davis finished with 26 kills, but Carlson, senior Isabella Malecek and Zoe Koonce O’Kane led the charge at the net and recorded enough big blocks to stall Aquinas runs and keep or take control of the serve.
Carlson had five blocks, but the others made big plays of their own at the net during important times.
“They are a smart team, and they know who we’re going to give the ball to,” Aquinas coach Dani Dolan said. “When Sammy’s on a streak, that’s where the ball is going to go, and they were figuring that out.
“What we need to do better is move her around. They read her well, and when she hits the ball that hard, the block is going to come down hard.”
The victory was a big one for the Hilltoppers for many reasons.
First, it’s a significant one over a state qualifier and conference champion who swept Onalaska last season.
Second, it provides momentum for next week’s match against MVC favorite Holmen, a rival and Division 1 state qualifier from last season.
In addition to the contribution from Davis, Aquinas received 19 dis from junior Aubrey Coyne and 26 assists from junior Addy Bezemek.
Sophomore setter McKenzie Bauer kept the Onalaska offense flowing with 44 assists and 13 digs. Senior hitter Makena McGarry had a team-high 14 assists, and Carlson added nine as the Hilltoppers always seemed to find an answer in a loud environment and match that was close in every set.
“This atmosphere was huge for us, and it was a lot of fun,” Carlson said. “The student sections made this great.”
Onalaska trailed for quite a chunk of the fourth set and scored five of the final seven points to deny the Blugolds a chance in a fifth set.
Junior Natalie Marso stepped up big down the stretch and sent multiple shots to the floor as the Hilltoppers closed out the match.
The largest lead either team had at any point was six, and that advantage was held by Onalaska before it finished off the first set.
The Blugolds rode the momentum of their win in the second set to a 6-1 lead in the third after a pair of kills from Davis before McGarry helped level things out.
Malecek, Carlson and Koonce O’Kane — in combinations and alone — used their block for several key points during the set.
“There is a lot of athleticism in this group this year,” Rohde said. “(Malecek) on that right side can neutralize a lot of outside hitters because she can sky, and Kendall, and Zoe is deceptively quick as a middle and gets to the ball and closes on it well.”
Dolan knows the Blugolds have to develop more threats around Davis, and players like senior Alaina Elias and sophomore Ava Kujak showed against Onalaska that they can figure into those plans.
Aquinas also has to become more familiar with its pieces, which are very different than last season, on the court as they move forward.
“I think the biggest challenge for this group is that there are so many more variables,” Dolan said. “This year I don’t have just seven kids who see the court, I have eight, nine, 10.
“It’s about being able to mesh well together when those substitutions are happening. I saw some of that in moments today, but I want to see more of that.”
