Wildcats rally past Cardinals in Section 1A opener
Published 9:55 pm Thursday, October 26, 2023
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Jenna Olson gets a block up on Goodhue’s Julia Carlson during game one of a Section 1A Tournament game Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Jenna Olson sets during game two of a Section 1A Tournament match Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Jenna Olson sets during game two of a Section 1A Tournament match Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Brooke Jasper attacks against Goodhue in the Section 1A Tournament Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Benita Nolt gets a block on Goodhue’s Elizabeth Gadient during game one of a Section 1A Tournament match Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Maria Almaraz-Nolt attacks during game one of a Section 1A Tournament Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Keira Lewison puts a block up on Goodhue’s Kendyl Lodermeier during game one of a Section 1A Tournament match Thursday in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LeRoy-Ostrander’s Kaci McKenzie pounds a spike off the block of Goodhue’s Elisabeth Gadient and Shelby Vogel during game one of a Section 1A Tournament match Thursday night in LeRoy. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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LEROY – The No. 8 seeded LeRoy-Ostrander volleyball team was in every game, but it wasn’t able to close things out as it was eliminated by No. 9 Goodhue by scores of 25-21, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19 in a Section 1A Tournament opener Thursday.
The Cardinals (20-10 overall) saw a 17-11 lead slip away in the first game, a 10-6 lead disappear in the second game and a 7-4 lead taken away in the final game.
LO had a chance to tie the match in the second game when the Cardinals tied it up at 23-23 after a kill by Kaci McKenzie, but the Wildcats (12-13 overall) scored on a kill and ace by Shelby Vogel to take a two-game lead.
While LO’s conference schedule wasn’t filled with top teams, LO head coach Lindsay Milks said she did the best she could to schedule tough non-conference opponents to prepare for teams like Goodhue.
“We can play with teams like this because of what we do in our season. We play everybody within every conference around us and that gets us ready for these moments. We just fell a little bit short tonight and I’m very proud of them,” Milks said. “We’ve worked really hard since March. These girls have made incredible strides forward and we had a great season. Last year we were in the play-in game and this year we hosted a playoff game. We’ve worked hard for everything that we got.”
Senior Jenna Olson finished with 30 set assists in her final match with the Cardinals and junior Benita Nolt hammered home 15 kills. Olson recorded over 1,000 set assists in her time with LO and she will be missed next season.
“We have three extremely strong hitters coming back, but replacing our setter is going to be tough and replacing our libero will be tough too, but as a coach, you always have a plan and we have a plan for next year,” Milks said.
LO stats: Jenna Olson, 30 set assists, 3 blocks; Benita Nolt, 15 kills, 10 digs; Brooke Jasper, 4 kills, 5 digs; Kaci McKenzie, 7 kills, 2 digs, 2 aces, 1 block; Kiera Lewison, 7 digs, 2 aces, 2 blocks; Maria Almaraz-Nolt, 6 kills, 4 digs, 1 block; Madalyn Huntley, 4 digs
