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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Columbus Catholic has had some great teams in the past and that tradition continues in 2024, but one thing that has always alluded the program is a trip to the state tournament.
The Dons are on the brink of having another shot after defeating Athens 3-0 by scores of 25-15, 25-16, 32-30, in a WIAA Division 5 regional final Saturday night at Columbus Catholic High School.
Columbus Catholic, the No. 1 seed in the top half of the D-5 Sectional 2 bracket, will be at home again Thursday to take on Cloverbelt Conference East Division rival Gilman in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. The winner moves on to a sectional final against the winner of Ithaca and Royall next Saturday, Nov. 2, at Almond-Bancroft with a berth in the state tournament on the line.
“We told the girls that they (Athens) were going to keep fighting, and they did,” Columbus Catholic coach Kat Egle said. “They brought really great defense, figured out where we were hitting. We stayed together as a team and tried to help one another in that third set, and I think that really helped.”
After feeling each other out in the opening set, the Dons began to pull away midway through. Leading 10-9, a kill by Gracie Wilczek led to a side out and Columbus Catholic ripped off 10 of the next 14 points to take control at 21-13.
Two more kills from Wilczek, who had five in all along with 15 digs, helped finish off a 25-15 win.
The Dons scored the first six points in the second set and were never in danger. A block kill by freshman Abby Kibbel capped of a 10-2 run to start it, and another kill from Kibbel made it 15-6.
Kibbel finished off a big set with two more kills on the final two points as the Dons won 25-16. Kibbel ended up with seven kills in the match.
Athens was not about to give up, however, in what turned into an epic battle in the third set.
Columbus jumped out to a 12-7 lead after two aces by Aubrey Waldhauser and a pair of kills from Shelby Spata.
Athens mounted a comeback, eventually tying up the set at 20-20 following an ace by Karly Eckert and a Columbus error.
The lead teetered back-and-forth with Columbus holding off two set points to tie it back up at 24-24 on a kill by Waldhauser.
Athens held off two set points, and Columbus stymied another from the Bluejays before finally getting the two points it needed on a kill from Spata, her team-high 17th, and an error on the last point to clinch the victory with the wild 32-30 win in the final set.
“It’s so exciting to see the back-and-forth, to see good volleyball and each team not giving up,” Coach Egle said. “It’s fun to watch. They’re both trying their best out there.”
Columbus Catholic came into the playoffs ranked No. 2 in the state coaches poll, and with none of the other three remaining teams in its sectionals among the top 10, the Dons are in the driver’s seat for their first-ever state tournament berth.
“We have some kinks to work out,” Coach Egle said. “That last set was good, now we know what we need to work on in practice. We’re ready to go into these sectionals. We’re super excited, the girls are pumped up, I can’t ask for a better season.”
Columbus junior Alayna Egle surpassed the 1,000-assist mark in her career with one early in the second set and finished with a team-best 23 in the match.
Sophia Wilczek chipped in 15 assists and Dalia Trader had 21 digs for the Dons.