BLACK EARTH — The Platteville varsity volleyball team gained a heaping scoop of confidence over the weekend when it swept SWC-leading River Valley 25–15, 25–22 in the championship game of the Wisconsin Heights Invitational.
The Hillmen, who trail the Blackhawks by a game after a straight-sets loss at River Valley on Sept. 19, went 5–0 to win the Wisconsin Heights Invite for a second straight year.
Platteville improved to 23–4–1 on the season, after straight-set victories over Southwestern, 2–0, Ithaca, 2–0, and the host Vanguards, 2–0, in pool play, Sauk Prairie, 2–0, in the semifinals and of course SWC rival River Valley in the championship.
“The team was really fired up to get another chance at River Valley,” said Platteville head coach Yvette Updike. “After last Saturday’s lost at the Middleton Invite, the team knew winning against River Valley was attainable. The key to the match was lining up our team up against their line-up better.
“We served well, blocked well, dug well, passed well, set well, and attacked well. It was a very solid performance.”
The victory over the Blackhawks (25–7, 6–0 SWC) also so happened to be the 250th of Updike’s 13-year varsity coaching career.
Updike went 115–70–10 from 1999–2005 at Fennimore and is now 136–70–12 through five-plus years at Platteville.
Last Tuesday sophomores Morgan Stecklein and Claire Tashner each floored 12 kills as the Hillmen swept Lancaster to improved to 5–1 in the SWC.
Iowa–Grant went 2–3 on Saturday and placed sixth at the Heights Invitational.
Last Tuesday the Panthers (11–10, 2–4 SWAL) were swept at SWAL-leading Cuba City.
Platteville 3, Lancaster 0
(from Tuesday, Sept. 24 @ Lancaster)
Platteville 25 25 25
Lancaster 16 19 20
Platteville stat leaders
Kills: Morgan Stecklein 12, Claire Tashner 12, Maddie Carroll 8, Ashley Budden 7, Marissa Marino 5. Blocks: Stecklein 8, Budden 7, Allison Woodworth 2. Assists: Jenna Phillips 18, Rachel Emendorfer 17. Aces: Four tied with 1. Digs: Briette Updike 9, Budden 4, Stecklein 4.
Wisconsin Heights Invitational
(from Saturday, Sept. 28 @ Mazomanie)
Championship: Platteville def. River Valley 25–15, 25–22. Third place: Wisconsin Heights def. Sauk Prairie by forfeit. Semifinals: Platteville def. Sauk Prairie 25–14, 25–17; River Valley def. Wisconsin Heights 25–23, 25–21.
Fifth place: Riverdale def. Iowa–Grant 25–16, 25–21. Seventh place: Southwestern def. Ithaca 25–10, 25–12. Consolation semifinals: Iowa–Grant def. Ithaca 25–21, 25–10; Riverdale def. Southwestern 13–25, 25–22, 16–14.
Pool A: Platteville 3–0, Wisconsin Heights 2–1, Southwestern 1–2, Ithaca 0–3.
Pool B: River Valley 3–0, Sauk Prairie 2–1, Iowa–Grant 1–2, Riverdale 0–3.
Platteville pool play match scores: Platteville def. Southwestern 25–20, 25–15; Platteville def. Ithaca 25–8, 25–21
Platteville def. Wisconsin Heights 25–22, 25–19.
Iowa–Grant pool play match scores: River Valley def. Iowa–Grant 25–13, 25–13; Iowa–Grant def. Riverdale 16–25, 25–20, 17–15; Sauk Prairie def. Iowa–Grant 25–20, 25–21.
Platteville stat leaders
Kills: Morgan Stecklein 44, Ashley Budden 23, Maddie Carroll 18, Claire Tashner 16. Blocks: Stecklein 11, Budden 9, Allison Woodworth 6, Mariss Marino 3. Assists: Jenna Phillips 52, Rachel Emendorfer 32. Aces: Budden 12, Briette Updike 6, Tashner 3, Emendorfer 3. Digs: Updike 30, Budden 10, Phillips 5, Stecklein 4, Tashner 4.
Iowa–Grant stat leaders
Kills: Kaci Myers 31, Kylie Moneypenny 21, Ashley Liddicoat 18. Blocks: Myers 6. Assists: Taylor Liddicoat 55, Kristin Bingham 14. Aces: T. Liddicoat 6. Digs: Rheann Engelke 39.
Cuba City 3, Iowa–Grant 0
(from Tuesday, Sept. 24 @ Cuba City)
Iowa–Grant 15 16 5
Cuba City 25 25 15
Iowa–Grant stat leaders
Kills: Kaci Myers 5, Ashley Liddicoat 3. Blocks: Myers 1. Assists: Kristin Bingham 12. Aces: Haley Yelinek 2. Digs: Taylor Jackson 6, Yelinek 5, Rheanne Engelke 5.
