This story is sponsored by: Chips Hamburgers of Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – Stratford’s matchup with Nekoosa on Thursday night was a perfect example of how seeding means nothing when it comes to the postseason in high school sports.
No. 1 seed Stratford and No. 8 Nekoosa looked like equals in its WIAA Division 3 girls volleyball regional semifinal and the Tigers were able to escape with a 3-1 victory in a hotly-contested match that easily could have went the other way.
Stratford won 27-25, 26-24, 20-25, 25-21, to advance to a Division 3 regional final against Marawood Conference rival and No. 5 seed Edgar on Saturday at home. The match will start at 7 p.m. with a berth in sectionals on the line. Edgar swept No. 4 seed Marathon on the road Thursday.
The Tigers jumped out to solid leads in each of the first two sets only to see Nekoosa rebound and surge ahead.
After opening the first set with a 7-3 run, Stratford fell behind by as much as five at 22-17 following a kill by Samya Hughes.
Stratford overcame one set point and was able to finish off a 27-25 win after an ace by Emerson Roy, a sideout and a kill by Kalyn Schueller.
The second set started out the same as the Tigers raced out to a 9-2 lead as Schueller had two kills and Tria Tubbs had a block kill.
After two kills from Daisy Yoder pushed Stratford’s lead to 16-8, Nekoosa roared back again. Two kills from MicKayla Andrews and two more by Hughes tied the set at 19-19.
Nekoosa was able to stop one set point, but the Tigers were able to squeak out another two-point win as a pair of errors by the Papermakers led to a 26-24 victory for Stratford.
Stratford could not hold on to a late lead in the third set as it tried to finish off the match.
Three kills from Schueller, who had a team-best 20 overall, helped the Tigers take a 19-18 lead. Nekoosa tied it on a service error and ran off six of the final seven points, two on kills by Hughes, to finish off a 25-20 victory.
Nekoosa used that momentum to charge out to a 9-5 lead in the fourth set before the Tigers took control, and this time they finished it off.
Five different players had kills and Roy had back-to-back service aces in a 10-0 run to give Stratford a 15-9 lead and it would not relinquish it.
Nekoosa closed to within four at 22-18 after a 6-1 run, but a kill by Roy earned a sideout and Stratford was able to hold on. Roy ended it with a tip kill, her fourth kill of the final set.
Hughes finished with 22 kills to lead Nekoosa.
Click here to view the statewide WIAA regional scoreboard & schedule