Howards Grove one win from fourth consecutive WIAA Division 3 state volleyball title
ASHWAUBENON - The Howards Grove girls volleyball team is one win away from something truly special.
The three-time defending Division 3 state champs swept Wittenberg-Birnamwood 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-9) at the Resch Center in a WIAA Division 3 semifinal to put themselves in position to win a fourth consecutive title. The Tigers will play St. Croix Falls in the title match at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Only two teams have won four consecutive titles in girls volleyball: Wausau Newman won four D4 state titles from 2013-16 and Waupun won five consecutive D2 titles from 2001-05.
"It was a calm feeling watching these athletes perform all year," Howards Grove coach Brett Damrow said. "This is our 40th-some match and they performed all year long at a pretty high level. Today was a good opponent, we had a good game plan. It was different than what we’ve done in the past just from how they played. And it took us a little to get zoned in on it. But we did get zoned in on it."
The Tigers' Saige Damrow led the team with 17 kills and also had four digs. Olivia Baierl had eight kills and nine digs with Layla Beaudoin (16 assists) and Ellie Schueler (15) running the offense at setter.
Saige Damrow, participating in her fourth consecutive state tournament, said she handled Friday's semifinal like any other match.
"I’m trying to stay as calm as I can, with my experience I can help my teammates out because I know that we all haven’t been here in this situation before," she said. "So having that calm presence and not even thinking that this could be our fourth straight championship, I think that’ll help the team out. Think of it as a weekend game like we have on any other weekend."
Howards Grove has lights-out serving in state semifinal match
One area in which Howards Grove had a distinct advantage was serving. The Tigers finished with 14 aces, one ace away from tying the state record for a three-game match set by Kettle Moraine Lutheran in 2004. Beaudoin led the team with four aces with Baierl and Elle Kennedy adding three each.
"I would say that we work on that 45 minutes a day (in practice) on that serving part," Brett Damrow said. "Pressure on the serve, it doesn't matter if we miss some here and there because of the amount of pressure we put on the serve-receive, eventually it kind of wears down the other team. That's what we have to keep doing."
Howards Grove will play St. Croix Falls for the championship
St. Croix Falls finished as the No. 2-ranked team in D3 and beat Randolph 25-14, 25-16 and 25-14 to advance to its first girls volleyball championship game in school history.
Lucy Belisle led the Saints with 13 kills and St. Croix Falls coach Stacie Huff said her team has its work cut out for it against Howards Grove.
"They got a good team, they got good coaches and got some good things going on over there in Howards Grove," she said. "We just have to play our game. As long as we stay where we need to be and keep our heads focused, I think we'll be ready."
Coach Damrow said his team isn't familiar with St. Croix Falls but he and the coaching staff will have the players break down the game plan tonight.
Saige Damrow added she and her teammates are ready for the "deep scouting" they'll receive tonight on St. Croix Falls.
"We'll be prepared for everything that they can come at us with," she said. "And we know that they’re a very good team and we always say no matter what, it’s going to be a good matchup and it’s going to be a fun match if we come out and play free. We'll see what they bring at us."
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Howards Grove one win from fourth straight WIAA state volleyball title
