Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

Muskego 3, Kaukauna 0



Box Score



Muskego secured its first State title since 2005 with a 25-10, 25-23, 27-25 victory over Kaukauna in the Division 1 State final Saturday night at the Resch Center in Green Bay.



Senior Outside Hitter Alli Glisch led the Warriors with 12 kills and senior Middle Hitter Rachel Neuberger added 10 as the Warriors failed to lose a single set in the 2009 postseason.



The Warriors, ranked No. 2 in the WSN's latest Division 1 poll, looked impressive in the win, as all facets of their game were on throughout the tournament. Yet in what appeared to be a lopsided matchup after set one, Kaukauna refocused and  rallied to make Muskego earn its gold ball.



Muskego came out in set one on a tear, racing to a 15-2 lead behind kills and a pair of aces from Glisch and Neuberger. Perhaps nerves were a factor for the Ghosts, as they tallied six kills and eight hitting errors in the first set. A Neuberger kill of the top of the block sealed the set one thumping for Muskego, 25-10.



Set two was a different story, as Kaukauna finally gathered their bearings. Senior Outside Hitter Kayla Schuh had an outstanding match, earning two consecutive kills to keep pace with Muskego. A block from junior Middle Hitter Sara Prellwitz and junior Setter McKinzie Friemuth put the Ghosts up 9-7, but service errors in the set kept Kaukauna from pushing through. Prellwitz was able to find the hole over the Warrior block with some Friemuth quick sets, and sophomore Outside Hitter Jenni Fassbender and Schuh earned kills to give Kaukauna a three-point lead, 22-19.



A huge rally with both teams scrambling ended with a senior Right Side Hitter Leah Van Zeeland kill to put the Ghosts within two points from tying the match. A pair of Kaukauna hitting errors later, it was Ellerson's time to shine, as a thunderous kill on an overpass and another from the Right Side tied the match at 23. Another hitting error and an Ellerson kill on game point sealed the 25-23 win.



The wind all but taken from Kaukauna's sails, Muskego jumped out to a 7-3 lead in set three thanks to Neuberger's punches to the back line and cross-court kills on the back slide. The Warriors maintained a humble lead throughout the set, and a trade of service errors put Muskego up 21-17. As Ellerson did in set two, Schuh did in set three as the Ghost picked up three straight kills from the Outside to pull to within one, 21-20. Neuberger broke the run with a Right Side kill, and yet another Kaukauna hitting error put Muskego up 23-20. Schuh answered once again with a kill through the Warrior block, and a Muskego error and a Fassbender kill tied the game at 23 once again.



Muskego's Glisch and Kaukauna's Fassbender traded kills to tie it at 24, and a Van Zeeland roll shot as she was falling backward gave Kaukauna its first set-point of the match. A Muskego block and a Fassbender hitting error gave Muskego match point, before Kaukauna head coach Dan Scharenbroch took a quick timeout to regroup. Out of the timeout, Glisch tallied Muskego's sixth service ace as the Warriors earned the hard-fought sweep.



Schuh led Kaukauna with a match-high 13 kills and Friemuth added 34 assists--also a match-high.



Game Ball: This is a tough one to give out, as both Glisch and Neuberger played an outstanding championship match. I feel the edge should be given to Glisch though, as her 12 kills and 10 digs gave her her second double-double of the State tournament. She also recorded the match-winning service ace and remained a force Outside for the Warriors all tournament.