Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale SCHS freshman Bayleigh Laabs passes a ball during the fourth game against Oshkosh North on Tuesday. Shawano lost, 3-1.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School middle hitter Brandi Gueths serves during the third set against Oshkosh North on Tuesday. Shawano lost, 3-1.
When the Shawano Community High School girls volleyball team needed someone to step up Tuesday, senior middle hitter Erika Dunnam was there.
After Shawano lost the first two sets and fell behind 16-21 in the third set, Erika Dunnam recorded five of the next nine points, two blocks and three kills to push the match to four sets.
The Hawks (18-9) would not be able to keep the momentum, though, as Oshkosh North (9-15) took the match 3-1, 25-15, 25-14, 23-25, 25-16.
Shawano struggled with slow starts in the first three games, allowing the Spartans to take early control in each of them.
“They came out and wanted to be in rhythm, but they know they have to start strong, get in the rhythm right away, and finish strong,” SCHS head coach Jessica Cumberland said. “They know that, it’s just getting in that rhythm right away.”
Another slow start in the third game hurt the Hawks, but they were able to find their groove and attack hard at the end of the game to pull out a win.
“I think the team as a whole got in a rhythm because it starts with a pass,” Cumberland said. “To get that pass up, we can get Erika’s ball down.
Dunnam led SCHS in three stats, with 18 kills, five blocks and 24 digs.
Oshkosh North then made some adjustments to disrupt the flow between Shawano setter Annelies Young and Dunnam.
“We tried to serve aggressively. We figured if they could get the passes off the net a little, it’s harder to set the middle,” Oshkosh North head coach Luke Herriges said. “And then we tried to push the free balls and attacks just deeper in the court to make them work it back to the net.”
Shawano pulled out to an 8-6 advantage in the final set before the Spartans began to take control.
“I just told them, ‘Not tonight. Let’s be mentally tough.’ It was good practice for them to come out there in the fourth and be just as strong and persevere,” Herriges said.
Senior outside hitter Sam Foote had 16 kills and 16 digs, while her sister Sydney Foote added 46 assists to lead the Spartans.
Young had 25 assists for Shawano, while Brandi Gueths added 12 digs.
North gave the Hawks some things to learn before getting back into Bay Conference play Thursday against Green Bay East.
“We are going to work hard at practice tomorrow night,” Cumberland said. “It’s giving 120 percent at practice, and then we are going to bring it on Thursday. It is a conference game, and we need to step it up on Thursday.”