This story is sponsored by: Randy LeMoine Agency, LLC – American Family Insurance
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Spencer volleyball team, riddled by injuries and illness, was down three players during Tuesday’s Cloverbelt Conference East Division match against Marshfield Columbus Catholic, but it didn’t sway the Rockets from playing in top form.
Spencer won 25-17, 25-22, 25-14 to improve to 3-0 and remain in first place in the Cloverbelt East with the road win Tuesday night at Columbus Cahtolic High School. The Dons are now 2-2 after dropping their second match in a row.
Macie Weber had six of her team-high 13 saves in the third game for Spencer. She also added five blocks and three aces.
Sadie Mercier had 26 assists filling in for normal starting setter McKenzie Bainer, and Jenna Rogers had 11 digs for the Rockets.
“Our slogan today was ‘Step in and step up,’ and that’s what you have to do when two or three people are out, people are sick,” Spencer coach Buff Heller said. “They really did a nice job coming together. Sadie Mercier did awesome setting. We’ve been running in both setters off and on, so it was good we got her work because she was ready to go.”
Kendra Baierl had eight kills, Jennifer Reigel had 22 assists, and Abby Baierl had 19 digs for Columbus Catholic.
Columbus was ridden with uncharacteristic errors. The Dons had seven service aces, but had nine service errors, and 10 more hitting errors, which led to their demise.
“We weren’t moving our feet and communicating like we normally do,” Columbus coach Kat Egle said. “We weren’t at the top of our game tonight. We know we can play better.
“We are truly a team. They play well together. It just wasn’t our night tonight.”
Spencer used a 6-0 run to bust open a tight opening game. A kill from Sydney Kind put Spencer up 14-7.
Columbus didn’t get any closer than five the rest of the way as Kind had a kill and a block kill to put the finishing touches on the win.
Game 2 was tight throughout, but the Dons never led.
Spencer opened up a 22-17 lead after an ace by Jenna Rogers and a kill by Jenna Schober only to see the Dons get back to within three on a pair of occasions.
Kendra Baierl’s block kill brought the Dons to within 24-21 and gave them the serve, but Spencer was able to finish off the win after an error.
Spencer scored the first seven points of the third game, six on the serve of Sydney Kind.
Columbus got a pair of kills from freshman Maren Seefluth late, but the Rockets were able to finish off the match on kills by Johanna Ellefson and Weber.
“Four or five years ago you came into Columbus knowing it was going to be 3-0, but now that’s a solid team,” Heller said. “Next year, when they are all seniors, they’re really going to be solid.”
Spencer hosts Gilman and Columbus Catholic plays at Owen-Withee in Cloverbelt East matches on Thursday night. Both matches start at 7:15 p.m.