OSHKOSH — The Hillsboro volleyball team opened the season early last week at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh’s Khaos at the Kolf Tournament.
The Tigers went 4–3 in seven matches over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday to place 19th at the 32-team tournament.
Hillsboro went 1–2 in Tuesday’s pool play opening round with a win over Adams–Friendship, 25–16, 25–21, and losses to Bayport, 21–25, 30–32, and Grafton, 20–25, 17–25, to finish third in its four team pool.
The winners and second-place finishers in each of the eight, four-team pools advanced to the 16-team championship gold bracket on Wednesday.
Third and fourth-place finishers like Hillsboro were placed in a similar 16-team silver bracket to play for 17th place.
Hillsboro opened bracket play Saturday morning with back-to-back wins over Racine Park, 21–25, 25–21, 19–17, and Port Washington, 25–17, 29–27.
But coach Mark Sullivan’s Tigers were knocked off in the silver bracket semifinals by Mineral Point 25–23, 30–32, 12–15.
Hillsboro capped the tournament with a three-set victory over Markesan, 25–19, 20–25, 15–12, in the 19th-place match.
Senior outside hitter/setter Mackenzie Sullivan was named to the All-Tournament team after leading the Tigers with 65 kills in seven matches, as well as 56 digs, 52 assists, 12 aces and eight blocks.
Senior middle blocker Tasha Mitchell also had a solid tournament with 32 kills and a team-high 19 blocks.
Sophomore outside hitter Sydney Johnson finished the tournament with 25 kills, 12 digs and eight blocks.
Senior libero Brittany Borchardt made 63 digs and served up 16 aces. Sophomore Courtney Fanta made 39 digs in her move to the back row after playing setter a year ago as a freshman.
Senior Alexis Mathis passed out a team-high 57 assists, led the Tigers with 20 aces and made 31 digs.
The Tigers, who finished 16–18 overall a year ago and second in the Scenic Bluffs Conference at 9–5, will open league play tonight against defending SBC champion and 2015 preseason favorite Royall. Results will appear in next week’s Sentry Enterprise.
Hillsboro will host New Lisbon in its home opener on Thursday, Sept. 10.
