Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale SCHS sophomore Averi Vomastic begins her swing on an attack during the Hawks’ opening match at the Shawano Invitational on Saturday. The Hawks fell to Peshtigo, 2-0.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale SCHS senior Erika Dunnam winds up for a hit during the fifth-place match against Clintonville on Saturday at the Shawano Invitational. The Hawks won the match.
The Shawano Community High School’s girls volleyball team started slowly Saturday during its 9 a.m. opening match against Peshtigo at the Shawano Invitational.
The Hawks fell to Peshtigo, 25-22, 27-25, and then to Oconto to seal their fate as the third-place finisher in its pool and a spot in the bottom half of the playoff bracket, playing for fifth place.
And that’s exactly what the Hawks got.
After its sluggish start, SCHS seemed to be clicking offensively and defensively later in the day, defeating both Rhinelander and Clintonville in straight sets to claim fifth place.
Rhinelander put up a fight against the Hawks, playing a back-and-forth game before falling 25-23, 25-22.
Clintonville, which also took third place in its pool by losing to Oconto Falls and Wausau West, defeated Kewaunee in the opening round of the playoffs.
SCHS jumped in front of Clintonville and pressured the Truckers to play a perfect game if they wanted to chance to come back. The Truckers could not quite do it though, as Shawano escaped with a 25-14, 25-16 victory.
“We stepped it up in the afternoon. We finished what we needed to get done this afternoon,” SCHS head coach Jessica Cumberland said. “I would have liked to see that earlier in the morning, but at least we came back around, and we just have to move on from here.”
Erika Dunnam led the Hawks with 55 attack kills and eight block kills on the day. She also had 26 digs to pace SCHS. Senior setter Annelies Young had 68 assists, and Anika Klement and Brandi Gueths each added five service aces.
Cumberland said her team was able to learn a valuable lesson at the tourney, especially as games become more important.
“We need to start out fast-paced right from the start and push from there,” Cumberland said. “We can’t dig ourselves a hole.”
Shawano Invitational
Sept. 12
Team results: 1, Wausau West; 2, Peshtigo; 3, Oconto Falls; 4, Oconto; 5, Shawano; 6, Clintonville; 7, Kewaunee; 8, Rhinelander.
S: Erika Dunnam, 55 kills, eight blocks and 26 digs; Annelies Young, 68 assists and 15 digs; Miranda Washinawatok, 15 digs.