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Divine Savior Holy Angels 3, Verona 2
Box Score

The No. 2-ranked team in Division 1 and the only remaining unbeaten team in the state put on quite the opening day finale, as the Dashers pulled out a thrilling 19-25, 25-14, 25-21, 17-25, 15-12 over Verona. The Wildcats’ season-long win streak was snapped at 42, while Divine Savior Holy Angels earned its first state semifinal berth since winning the title in 2001.

Divine Savior was led by junior outside Maggie Carter, who tallied 17 kills and 12 digs. Yet the real difference-maker was the outstanding play of sophomore middle Caitlyn Coffey, whose 13 kills and 11 total blocks carried the Dashers in this hard-fought matchup. Junior setter Melissa Kehrin gave up 37 assists in the win, even though Verona tallied 12 more kills than DSHA.

Verona, despite tallying 12 more kills than DSHA, hit 50 percentage points lower than the Dashers. Senior Ohio State recruit Jillian Bauer was totally dominant on the outside, tallying a match-high 23 kills on .246 hitting and adding a team-high 27 digs. Classmate and fellow outside Lauren O’Brien added 12 kills, with junior middle Alicia Streetar tallying 11.

It was a thrilling back-and-forth affair as Verona raced out to an opening 8-2 lead in the first set, riding the arm of Bauer. A handful of hitting errors allowed DSHA back into the match, as they pulled to within one with a service ace, 19-18. But a pair of kills from senior outside Brianna Buth stretched the lead back to four as Verona sailed to the first set win.

Set two was a completely different story. Head coach Darrell Frank must have had something magic to say in the team huddle, as the Dashers came out and absolutely torched Verona. The Wildcats were knocked off kilter due to some suspect receiving, and that led to the lopsided 25-14 DSHA win.

It appeared the Dashers had it on cruise control as it began the third set, again keeping Verona out of any offensive system. DSHA enjoyed a commanding 20-12 lead before Verona answered with a three-point run. A huge Buth pancake dig and consecutive kills from Bauer brought the refreshed Wildcats some life, pulling to within two 22-20. The run was stopped—or paused may be the better term—with an Akin kill as DSHA survived to go up 2-1.

Set four was the Bauer/Coffey show as both teams found and rode their offensive ponies. Coffey picked up a pair of blocks and a kill in one rotation alone as DSHA jumped out to another 9-3 lead. An ensuing sideout and service by Bauer took the Wildcats on a five-point run, followed by some big swings from O’Brien and a handful of Dasher hitting errors vaulted Verona into a 14-11 lead. A Bauer kill put the ‘Cats up 19-15 as they scored seven of the final nine points to take set four, sending the match into what would be an outstanding fifth set.

Both teams traded points through the first half of the fifth set. Bauer racked up three kills, O’Brien two and Streetar added one as Verona moved out to an 8-7 lead. In that span, DSHA’s Carter tallied two kills of her own, and Coffey added a kill and a block. Tied at 10 apiece, two straight Verona hitting errors swung the momentum on the Dashers’ side of the net, and a Kehrin push to the back corner and an ensuing block by Coffey and Kehrin gave DSHA a 14-10 lead, just one point from match victory. Verona made things interesting, adding a Bauer kill and a Dasher hitting error to close to within 12-14, but a smart, timely tip kill by Coffey send the Red & Gold into a frenzy.

Divine Savior will take on Fond du Lac in a Division 1 state semifinal Friday at 7 p.m.

Fond du Lac 3, Muskego 1
Box Score

The Cardinals are playing with a whole new fervor, as Fond du Lac kept up its winning ways by knocking off defending state runner-up Muskego 26-24, 25-23, 18-25, 25-18 Thursday night. The win moves Fondy and head coach Julie Riese, who has stated this will be her final year of coaching, into the state semifinals for the second straight season.

The most athletic player at the Resch Center was undoubtedly senior setter/right side Emily Riese, who had a match-high 20 kills—double anyone else’s kill total. The North Dakota State recruit also added 18 assists, 23 digs and a service ace to her bursting resume. The trio of senior middle Karson Stacey, senior setter/right side Shannon Burns and junior outside Brianna Wagner added seven apiece.

Riese’s court awareness, volleyball savvy and timely hitting proved the difference in this matchup as Fond du Lac overcame two impressive deficits in the first two sets. The Cardinals started hot out of the gates, surging to a 7-1 lead to begin the set. Fondy held that lead up 17-12 before Muskego ran off six straight points to take an 18-17 lead. The teams sided one another out before a pair of kills from sophomore middle Jordan Wachowiak handed set point to the Warriors. Yet Fond du Lac rallied and pushed the set into extra points, finally taking the win off a pair of perfect placements from Riese to sieze back the momentum.

Set two began where the first left off, as Wachowiak’s presence in the front row kept Muskego in the running. Down 23-21, Fond du Lac scored the final four points off three consecutive kills from Burns and another from Wagner to take a commanding 2-0 lead.

The third set saw lots of Fond du Lac hitting errors as Muskego charged out to a 15-5 lead. The Warriors held on to it this time though, taking the third. Likewise, Fond du Lac responded with a dominating performance in the fourth and final set, racing to a 17-9 lead and never looked back.

Wachowiak’s 10 kills led the Warriors, while junior middle Mary O’Connor, junior outside Kristyn Paskiewicz and senior right side Laura Felker each tallied eight.

Fond du Lac will take on Divine Savior Holy Angels in Friday night’s Division 1 semfinal, at the same time Burlington and Watertown battle across the gym.