Gerrard Diaz, gdiaz@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Jen Dowden reacts to Oconto winning a WIAA Division 3 regional championship Saturday in Bonduel. No. 3 Oconto upset No. 1 Bonduel, 3-2.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Bonduel High School senior Lexi Reinke tips a ball through the Oconto defense during Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 regional final in Bonduel. No. 3 Oconto upset No. 1 Bonduel, 3-2.
The top-seeded Bonduel High School volleyball team pushed its WIAA Division 3 regional final to a fifth-game tiebreaker Saturday before falling to No. 3 Oconto in Bonduel.
Though Bonduel (18-13) had the top seed and experienced players in 6-foot senior middle hitter Jen Dowden and 5-10 senior outside hitter Lexi Reinke, the Blue Devils came in confident, knowing they beat the Bears 3-2 Oct. 16 and won a regional championship a year ago.
“They make a play on every ball,” Bonduel coach Kim Bodoh said. “They place the ball well when they use their tips, and they try to attack on every ball. They don’t send over many free balls.”
Oconto (21-14) showed that experience with a solid start in the first game. After pulling ahead 20-17 late, the Blue Devils won 25-20.
“They came out flat,” Bodoh said of her team. “Our passing wasn’t great. In turn, we weren’t getting many attacks on the ball.”
The Bears continued to trail in the second game until tying it at 13-13. Bonduel went on to pull ahead 19-17 and won 25-21 on an ace by junior Taylor Weier.
Bonduel cruised in the third game, taking a 6-1 lead early. Oconto pulled to within 15-11, but the Bears finished off the game, 25-16, getting nine service points from Weier, who finished with a team-high 24 service points.
“I was afraid that they were going to roll over,” Bodoh said. “They didn’t do it. They fought back. They really did a good job of staying mentally tough.”
Bonduel may have pressed too hard in pulling ahead, though, as Oconto maintained a small lead throughout the fourth game. Bonduel managed to tie it at 22, but Oconto scored the next three points to win 25-22 and force the tie-breaker.
“This is a very emotional team,” Bodoh said. “They live and die by the momentum swings in the game. So when the momentum is going their way, they’re on top of their game, and when the momentum starts to swing the other way, they struggle.”
Oconto was solid in the tiebreaker, pulling ahead 9-4 before going on to win the game, 15-10.
For Dowden and Reinke, the team’s only seniors and four-year varsity players, it was a tough ending.
“They were my captains from the beginning,” second-year coach Bodoh said. “They did everything I asked of them. So this was a hard one for me.”
Dowden, who was selected as the Central Wisconsin Conference-8 player of the year, led the team with 18 kills and nine blocks. Reinke had eight kills and 19 digs.
Bodoh was proud of the way the two seniors played.
“There’s no doubt in my mind they left every ounce of energy out there tonight,” Bodoh said. “They need to hold their heads high and be happy with their performance.”
Oconto will play No. 1 Oshkosh Lourdes Academy in a sectional semifinal Thursday in Oconto.