By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON- The Jaguar volleyball team has hit their stride at the end of the season. On Tuesday evening, they defeated the Green Bay Preble Hornets 25-20, 25-11, 28-30, 25-16 to improve to 5-3 in FRCC action.
The Jaguars jumped out to a comfortable lead in set number one only to see the Hornets battle back and make a game of it. At 16-14, the Jaguars Maddie Koch hit a kill that was talked about for awhile by the lead and side official. It was determined that Koch did not come from the back row and the point was awarded to the Jaguars. Down the stretch, the teams exchanged points back and forth. With the score deadlocked at 20 apiece, Megan Servais came up huge for the Jaguars. She blocked two shots in a row, and then forced two errors on the Hornets to make it set point. To close, Maria Scherer put up a perfect set to Koch who blasted away the final point. The Jaguars captured the first set in style.
Set number two was never close. The Jaguars opened up a four to zero, and 11 to five lead en route to capturing the second set by 14 points.
Set number three provided very good entertainment for those in attendance. There were eight different lead changes between the two schools. The Jaguars took a 15-14 lead midway through the set. McKenna Engebose and Scherer then contributed one handed stab digs on the following point to give the two-point edge to the Jaguars. It was just the start of the back and forth affair that was to transpire during this pivotal set. Later on, the Hornet regained the lead at 21-19 on an out serve by the Jaguars. However, the Jaguars battled back to take the next three points. Down the stretch, the Jaguars couldn’t close the set and match out after having four match points in extended action. Finally, the Hornets took the reins and closed out the set 30-28!
If the Jaguars appeared stunned by not closing the match out in straight sets, they didn’t show it. Coach Wierschke inserted her regulars back into the fourth set and it paid off. With the score tied at four apiece the Jaguars took the next six out of eight points at a decisive time to go up 10-six with the last being a Katie Benson ace. With the lead, the Jaguars turned to Koch exclusively every time they were on offense. Koch hit five consecutive kills to the floor and the Jaguars increased their lead to eight. It was all they needed to capture the final set by a nine-point margin. The Jaguars will be back in action Thursday when they host the Sheboygan North Golden Raiders.
