PATCHGROVE – Just when the winning streak of the River Ridge varsity volleyball team looked to be in danger last Thursday night, the Timberwolves regrouped to hand visiting Potosi a 3-1 loss in Six Rivers West volleyball action.
With Thursday night’s victory, coach Dianne Langmeier’s Timberwolves improved to 9-0 in league play and an amazing 18-0 overall, with three conference games remaining.
The first set from Thursday night’s match went back and forth with 10 ties and five lead changes.
After trailing the Chieftains, 16-14, midway through the set, River Ridge took a 17-16 lead and held onto the lead late in the set.
Leading Potosi 23-21, it appeared the Timberwolves were on the verge of picking up the first win, but with Potosi’s Abby Kaiser making it back into the front row, the Chieftains came charging back.
Potosi quickly evened the score at 23-23, then took leads of 24-23 and 25-24 before winning the set, 26-24, with senior Hannah Udelhoven at the service stripe.
Down one game to none, the Timberwolves quickly took control of the second set, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before holding a double-digit advantage late in the set.
River Ridge picked up a 25-15 victory in the second set, and followed it up with wins of 25-19 and 25-18 in the third and fourth sets.
Leading the Timberwolves on the night with 19 kills, 17 digs, two service aces and one block was junior Taylor Langmeier, while sophomore Skylar White added 16 kills, 18 digs, four service aces, four assists and three blocks. Faith Schier also added 16 digs and Rachael Herrick had 14.
Dishing out a team-high 32 assists was junior setter Verity Johnson, who also had one block in the victory.
“We feel very fortunate to have defeated a tough Potosi Chieftain team,” said coach Langmeier. “It was a total team effort again with a lot of hard hitting and great digging by both teams.”
Leading the Chieftains with 25 kills, 28 digs and one service ace was Abby Kaiser, while Sophie Langkamp added four kills, 11 assists and four blocks.
Hannah Udelhoven dished out a team-high 21 assists, while Jadyn Noonan came up with 14 digs in the loss.
At last Saturday’s Wisconsin Heights Invite, Potosi went 2–2 to tie for third-place among eight teams.
Abby Kaiser powered the Chieftains (14–7) with 53 kills and 47 digs, both team-highs.
Potosi defeated Prairie du Chien and Riverdale in a pair of narrow three-set matches before being swept by eventual champion Wisconsin Heights to close out pool play.
Coach Ric Walsh’s Chieftains closed out the day with a 20–25, 25–21, 16–14 semifinal loss to runner-up Monroe. There was no third-place match.
The Chieftains hosted Cassville Tuesday night and will now close out the regular season three straight road matches, at Benton on Thursday, at Shullsburg on Monday and at Belmont on Oct. 12.
This Thursday night, the River Ridge volleyball team will be hosting “Pink Night,” against visiting Belmont, where money raised from the event will be donated to three area families dealing with cancer.
River Ridge 3, Potosi 1
(from Thursday, Sept. 28)
Potosi................. 26 15 19 18
River Ridge....... 24 25 25 25
Potosi leaders
Kills - Abby Kaiser 25, Sophie Langkamp 4. Digs - Kaiser 28, Jadyn Noonan 14. Aces - Kaiser 1, Kalynn Vosberg 1. Assists - Hannah Udelhoven 21, Langkamp 11. Blocks - Langkamp 4.
River Ridge leaders
Kills - Taylor Langmeier 19, Skylar White 16. Digs - White 18, Langmeier 17. Aces - White 4, Langmeier 2. Assists - Verity Johnson 32, White 4. Blocks - White 3.
Wisconsin Heights Invite
(from Saturday, Sept. 30 @ Mazomanie)
Championship: Wisconsin Heights def. Monroe 25–21, 25–21.
Semifinals: Wisconsin Heights def. Iowa–Grant 25–20, 25–22. Monroe def. Potosi 20–25, 25–21, 16–14.
Pool A: Monroe 3–0, Iowa–Grant 2–1, Dodgeville 1–2, Cambridge 0–3.
Pool B: Wisconsin Heights 3–0, Potosi 2–1, Prairie du Chien 1–2, Riverdale 0–3.
Potosi pool play match scores
Potosi def. Prairie du Chien 25–19, 20–25, 15–11
Potosi def. Riverdale 23–25, 25–23, 17–15
Wisconsin Heights def. Potosi 25–13, 25–22.
Potosi stat leaders
Kills: Abby Kaiser 53, Grace Morgan 10, Langkamp 8. Blocks: Sophie Langkamp 5, Grace Morgan 5, Rayne Wolf 3. Assists: Langkamp 40, Hannah Udelhoven 39. Aces: Udelhoven 5, Jaydn Noonan 2. Digs: Kaiser 47, Jaydn Noonan 27.
