This story is sponsored by: High Street Salon, Spa & Travel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Marshfield Columbus Catholic won its first-ever Cloverbelt Conference East Division title and had five of its players named to the all-conference team.
The Dons rolled through the conference with a 7-0 record, losing just one set, to win the championship with a roster void of any seniors.
Junior all-around player Maren Seefluth and junior setter Brooke Neider were first-team All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Volleyball Team selections for Columbus, as voted on by the eight conference coaches.
Seefluth led the Dons with 268 kills, and added 288 digs and 23 blocks, while Neider topped Columbus with 688 assists, and also had 199 digs and 50 service aces.
“Maren had stepped up her game this year to become our main hitter on the outside,” Columbus Catholic coach Kat Egle said. “Maren can be a powerhouse when she is into the game. It’s fun to see her competitive side.
“What impressed me most about Brooke is her ability to move the ball the around to all five of our hitters. She worked hard getting to know how each hitter liked their sets and encouraged our hitters to run plays to speed up our offense.”
Spencer senior Sadie Mercier also was a first-team selection, senior Lexi Baehr was a second-team pick, and junior Chloe Drews was honorable mention. The Rockets finished 4-3 and tied for third place in the conference standings. Spencer statistics were not available.
Columbus Catholic junior libero Annie Baierl was a second-team selection, and junior Kate Turchi and sophomore Jessica Jakopin were honorable mention choices for the Dons.
Baierl had 397 digs and 63 aces, while Turchi had 175 kills and 120 digs, and Jakopin had 92 blocks and 179 kills for the Dons.
“Annie helped out our hitters by telling them what to hit, how many blockers and reminding everyone to cover,” Egle said. “Annie brought out a killer jump serve toward the end of the season that we will use all-season next year.”
2017 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Volleyball Team
First team: Carley Elmhorst, sr., Colby; Ashley Streveler, jr., Colby; Brooke Neider, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Maren Seefluth, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Cooper Sherfield, sr., Gilman; Kelly Nielsen, sr., Greenwood; Sadie Mercier, sr., Spencer.
Second team: Kiersten Weiland, sr., Colby; Annie Baierl, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Grace Gunseth, so., Gilman; Evelyn Fryza, so., Gilman; Samantha Cappadora, jr., Neillsville/Granton; Kylie Arndt, so., Owen-Withee; Lexi Baehr, sr., Spencer.
Honorable mention: Emily Gurtner, sr., Colby; Kate Turchi, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Jessica Jakopin, so., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Paetyn Schmitz, sr., Greenwood; Emily Voight, sr., Neillsville/Granton; Chloe Drews, jr., Spencer.