Lady Cats serve up sweep

Destiny Lindley leaps to send it back over the net.

By Brian Besch

Onalaska volleyball needed just three sets Tuesday to put Crockett back on the bus home.

Falling behind early, Onalaska would answer and there would be a few lead changes in the first set. With the game tied at 17, the home team pulled in front and stayed there, winning 25-20.

In the second set, Kalli Saucier would lead the team with her serving. Crockett had no answer for the senior, who had several aces along the way in a dominating 25-2 set.

“Kalli Saucier has been out sick for five days. She came back for the game in Shepherd and had missed two games prior to that,” Onalaska coach Danna Mitschke said. “She did well for us in Shepherd, but tonight, her serving was killer. I am really proud of her. She helps bring that team chemistry and is that critical piece. We struggled a couple of games in a row without her. She came back whenever district was starting, which was great timing. We’ve been working really hard on serving. Her toss is so short that it makes it hard for the defense to track and all of a sudden it is there. It makes it a little more difficult to handle.”

In the third set, the Lady Cats fell behind early again, but Saucier’s serves helped take the team from down 5-2 to a 10-5 lead. With the game tied at 16, Saucier again took the line to serve, and led the team to the final nine consecutive points for the sweep.

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The Lady Cats are a senior-heavy group this year, with seven on the team of 12. Currently, they are 2-0 in district and around .500 overall.

“We played much more difficult schedule this year than we did last year,” Mitschke said. “We were in every match we played with a tougher schedule, so I expect to compete better in district. My intent is to get into the playoffs, if I have to beg, borrow or steal.”

Tarkington and Anderson-Shiro will again be the favorites in a tough District 23-3A. Mitschke said she had three important pieces of the team graduate last year. However, this season she has two seniors in Mary Joy Cariaga and Kaitlyn Wilson who did not play last year.

I’ve got two really strong setters with good hands that makes good choices. One is a senior (Kayleigh Park) and one is a sophomore (Faith Tyerman). They have been my consistent standouts, as far as keeping us focused and the play moving in the correct direction. I am really happy to have the two of those.

“My hitters are all young except for Kaitlyn Wilson and Destiny Lindley that plays middle front. I have one freshman on the team and she got two really important blocks (Kelli Arce).”

The coach said the team has grown from even the beginning of the season. Her junior varsity is filled with all freshmen except for one junior. She also feels that she has a strong seventh and eighth grade group, making for a bright future at the school.