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DIVISION 3 STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Semifinals – Friday, Nov. 4
Match 1 – Grantsburg vs. Spencer – 1 p.m.
Match 2 – Southwestern vs. Oostburg – 1 p.m.

Championship Match – Saturday, Nov. 5
Match 3 – Match 1 winner vs. Match 2 winner – 12:30 p.m.

TEAM PREVIEWS

Grantsburg Pirates
Records: 32-1, 12-0 Lakeland West – First Place
WVCA Ranking: No. 1
State History: 12th Appearance (1989, 90, 95, 97, 98, 01, 03, 05, 08, 09, 10)

Regional Quarterfinal: def. #8 Glenwood City 25-3, 25-11, 25-7
Regional Semifinal: def. #4 St. Croix Falls 25-13, 25-9, 25-9
Regional Final: def. #2 Prescott 25-23, 25-19, 25-6
Sectional Semifinal: def. #2 Fall Creek 22-25, 25-9, 25-13, 25-22
Sectional Final: def. #1 Regis 26-24, 25-21, 25-15

Grantsburg saw a changing of the guard with long-time assistant Deb Allaman-Johnson taking the helm of the Pirate ship this season, and she picked up right where Grantsburg left off. The Pirates raced out to 38 consecutive season victories, another conference championship and its 12th appearance in a state semifinal. Grantsburg has to be one of the shortest teams in the state tournament field, but it’s nearly impossible to get a ball to hit the floor against Grantsburg’s impressive back row defense. Despite not being an incredibly dominant blocking team, five players average at least 2.5 digs per set, led by senior outside Nikki Ticknor’s 4.2. Junior outside Sam Schweiger leads the team with 3.2 kills per set with Ticknor and senior middle Carly Larson adding 2.9 kills apiece. Junior Kylie Pewe stepped into the setting role this season and offers up 7.3 assists per set.

Spencer Rockets
Records: 33-7, 8-1 Cloverbelt East – Second Place
WVCA Ranking: No. 10
State History: Second Appearance (1974)

Regional Quarterfinal: def. #8 Cadott 25-12, 25-14, 25-15
Regional Semifinal: def. #4 Neillsville 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 15-7
Regional Final: def. #2 Auburndale 25-23, 25-13, 25-13
Sectional Semifinal: def. #1 Marathon 23-25, 25-21, 25-12, 25-20
Sectional Final: def. #1 Kewaunee 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-12

Spencer has been looking for some love all season long, and finally earned some state-wide respect with a great post-season run. The Rockets, which finished second in the Cloverbelt East behind D4 qualifier Owen-Withee, beat two-time sectional champ Auburndale after surviving a five-set scare from Neillsville, then handled Marathon in four and outlasted Packerland Conference champ Kewaunee in another five-set thriller. Spencer, a senior-dominated squad, is led by senior middle/outside Courtney Schultz who tallies 3.8 kills and has team-highs in digs and blocks. Junior outside/middle Tara Matter is another 6-footer for the Rockets who averages 2.8 kills while senior setter Kyleigh Hebert offers up eight assists per set.

Southwestern Wildcats
Records: 30-2, 11-1 Southwest Wis. Activities – First Place with Fennimore
WVCA Ranking: No. 5
State History: First Appearance

Regional Quarterfinal: def. #7 Darlington 25-2, 25-3, 25-12
Regional Semifinal: def. #3 Cuba City 25-23, 21-25, 25-17, 25-22
Regional Final: def. #1 Deerfield 17-25, 26-24, 26-24, 25-23
Sectional Semifinal: def. #1 Markesan 25-11, 25-16, 25-11
Sectional Final: def. #1 Wisconsin Heights 25-20, 19-25, 15-25, 25-16, 15-8

Southwestern had to be disappointed that they were bumped up from Division 4 this season, not to mention thrown the to the proverbial southwest area D3 wolves. Yet the Wildcats used that as incentive to prove that if you’re good, you should beat anyone put in front of you as they earned their first berth in the state tournament this season. The path was just as tough as it looked, as Southwestern needed four close sets to knock off the regional’s top-seeded Deerfield, then overcame a 2-1 deficit to upset Wisconsin Heights in the sectional final to advance. Senior middle Katelyn Hoppman is a machine at the net, tallying a team-high six kills and 1.6 blocks per set alone. Despite having an All-state type player on its team, Southwestern is not very deep offensively with only senior outside Alyssa Iserman adding a considerable amount of kills with 3.4 per set.

Oostburg Dutch
Records: 44-3, 8-0 Central Lakeshore – First Place
WVCA Ranking: No. 2
State History: Seventh Appearance (1981, 88, 89, 94, 06, 07)

Regional Quarterfinal: def. #8 Winnebago Lutheran 25-7, 25-5, 25-15
Regional Semifinal: def. #4 Laconia 25-13, 25-14, 25-23
Regional Final: def. #3 Howards Grove 28-26, 25-13, 25-22
Sectional Semifinal: def. #2 Pacelli 25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-13
Sectional Final: def. #1 Kenosha Christian Life 25-17, 25-8, 25-20

The two-time Central Lakeshore Confernece champion returns to the state semifinals after a three-year hiatus, despite making sectional finals consistently since the turn of the decade. This year the path was a bit easier than usual with the exodus of Racine St. Catherine’s to D2, but the Dutch still took full advantage by dominating the southeast D3 sectional. Only Pacelli took a set from the No. 2 team in the state in the sectional semifinal and the Dutch are primed for as fruitful of a trip this season. Sophomore setter/outside Jo-Leigh VerVelde is a volatile dual-threat with 3.5 kills and 6.6 assists per set—both team highs. Senior outside Maddy Kaat and junior Abby VanStelle post 2.7 and 2.3 kills per set respectively, while senior setter Courtney Brusse adds 4.4 assists in Oostburg’s potent 6-2 offense.