GAME OF THE WEEK (June 20–26)
SIX RIVERS CONFERENCE SENIOR VOLLEYBALL SHOWDOWN: West 4, East 1
SOUTH WAYNE — Before becoming roommates at UW–La Crosse in the fall, River Ridge’s Taylor Langmeier and Benton’s Sophie Dougherty showed what a dynamic duo they can be as teammates. 

The duo combined for 45 kills and six service aces to help the West All-Stars top their East counterparts to claim conference bragging rights at the fourth annual Six Rivers Conference Senior All-Star Volleyball Showdown Friday night at Black Hawk High School.

Langmeier pounded down a match-high 27 kills with three aces and Dougherty tallied 18 kills with three aces and a block as the West rolled over the East 25–20, 25–22, 25–23, 24–26, 25–17 in the five-set senior showcase to gain a 3–1 edge in the all-time series.

Argyle’s Jena Saalsaa registered 11 kills, five aces and five digs to power the East All-Stars, while Monticello’s Hannah Zanow chipped in with eight kills and three aces and Black Hawk Sydney Delzer added seven kills and three blocks for the East.

The West won a see-saw battle in set one by closing the match with a 6–1 scoring spurt to take a 1–0 lead with a 25–20 decision. Langmeier had six kills in the set, including the game-winner for the West.

The East opened up an early 7–2 lead in set two thanks to back-to-back kills by Zanow, however the West charged back with a 15–5 scoring run to grab a 17–12 advantage. The East got back within a point at 19–18 on an ace by Monticello’s Alyssen Noriega.

Back-to-back kills by Dougherty got the West to game-point and her Benton teammate Lydia Jones put down the game-winning kill as the West went up 2–0 with a 25–22 decision.

The West pulled ahead early in set three but couldn’t pull away from the East, who rallied from a 16–12 deficit to take a late 23–22 lead.

Dougherty used a tip kill to tie the score at 23 all, and then served up as ace to put the West back ahead to stay. Langmeier hammered down the game-winning kill to secure the set and the match for the West for the second year in a row and the third time in the four years of the event.

The East avoided getting skunked by fighting for a 26–24 win in set four. They were trailing once again by a score of 16–12 until a seven-point service run by Black Hawk’s Savanna Burmeister gave them the lead at 20–16. She had an ace during the run, while Pecatonica’s Samantha Holmstrom knocked down two kills for the East.

Delzer got the East to game-point at 24–22, but Langmeier tallied back-to-back kills to even the score at 24 all. The East got a sideout to regain the lead, and then came up with the winning point to seal a 26–24 triumph.

The West pulled ahead early in set five and never looked back as they ran away with a 4–1 victory. Back-to-back aces by Saalsaa got the East within 22–17 late in the set, however a kill by Shullsburg’s Maggie Gleason got the West the serve and Langmeier smoked back-to-back aces to close the set and the match.

River Ridge’s Verity Johnson distributed a team-high 17 assists for the West. Jones and Gleason each added five kills, two aces and a block. Benton’s Shay Soppe had four kills and three aces, and River Ridge’s Jordyn Vogt chipped in with eight assists and four digs. Potosi’s Jadyn Noonan also tallied four digs.

Argyle’s Kirsten Ostby dished out 10 assists and Burmeister added eight for the East, while Noriega registered eight digs and Argyle’s Jadyn Saalsaa notched six digs during the match

All proceeds from the free-will admission and other fund-raising efforts during the night were donated to the Madison Children’s Hospital in support of their events. Coaches, game personnel, referees and other participants donated their time to this event.

In the four-year history of the All-Star event, the Six Rivers Conference has donated over $3,000 to the Children’s Hospital. 

4th Annual Six Rivers Sr. Showdown
(from Friday, June 21 at South Wayne)
West All-Stars….25  25  25  24  25
East All-Stars…..20  22  23  26  17
Individual stat leaders (unofficial) 
WEST — Kills: Taylor Langmeier 27, Sophie Dougherty 18. Blocks: Dougherty 1, Maggie Gleason 1. Assists: Verity Johnson 17. Aces: Langmeier, Dougherty, Shay Soppe 3. Digs:Jordyn Vogt, Jadyn Noonan 4. EAST — Kills: Jena Saalsaa 11, Hannah Zanow 8. Blocks:Sydney Delzer 3, Libby Beck 3. Assists: Kirsten Ostby 10. Aces: Je. Saalsaa 5. Digs: Alyssen Noriega 8.