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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SUN PRAIRIE – The Marshfield volleyball team capped off a terrific first week of play by winning the championship at the Cardinal Kick-Off Tournament at Sun Prairie East High School on Saturday.
After going 4-0 in pool play on Friday, the Tigers won four more on Saturday to earn the tournament championship.
Marshfield defeated Watertown 25-16, 25-21, and DeForest 25-19, 17-25, 15-12, to reach the semifinals. The Tigers swept De Pere 25-16, 25-7, and defeated Manitowoc in come-from-behind fashion 20-25, 25-20, 15-6, in the championship match.
“It was a great weekend for us at the Cardinal Kick-Off, taking the championship for the first time since we added this tournament several years ago,” first-year Marshfield coach Josh Knect said. “We had a much more balanced offensive attack today with five players having double-digit attack kills. Most schools are going to focus on Lauren Homolka and Della Smith, but Sophia Olson and Alyssa Foemmel really had a great day for us. Our defense really stepped up as well.”
Smith and Olson each had 23 kills, and Foemmel added 19, including 11 in the championship match against Manitowoc.
Homolka added 15 kills and was named to the all-tournament team. Kailyn Kurth had 76 assists and six service aces, Zaida Kolbeck led the defense with 53 digs and added six aces, and Sydney Quarne and Michelle Potts both had 20 digs for the Tigers.
“We have been trying to get the girls to always get a touch on a ball, no matter what, and that really paid off today with us making the opponents have to work extra hard to get kills,” Knecht said. “Overall, just a great team effort.”
Marshfield hosts Mosinee for a nonconference match Thursday before hosting a six-team tournament on Saturday. Shawano, Abbotsford, Ladysmith, Antigo and Mondovi will provide the competition.