RIB LAKE VOLLEYBALL - Rib Lake volleyball sweeps at O-W; places 5th at Marathon

RIB LAKE VOLLEYBALL

Truly tested in only one of six sets, the Rib Lake volleyball team improved to 8-3 in the first week of its regular season while winning Tuesday’s Owen-Withee Quad.

The closest match Rib Lake had was against the host team, who had the Redmen on the ropes in the first set. The Redmen had a 14-10 lead and extended it to 20-15 following a Tessa Weik kill, but a 7-0 run by the Blackhawks put them up 22-20 with momentum. But consecutive errors killed that momentum and the Redmen took advantage. Weik clipped the net and got an ace to put the Redmen ahead, Coralee Glenzer set Weik up for a quick kill and an error by the Blackhawks sealed Rib Lake’s 2522 win.

The momentum stayed with the Redmen throughout set two. Madilyn Blomberg had three early aces in an opening 10-3 surge. Leading 15-8, Rib Lake went on a strong closing run, getting points on a Blomberg dump, two kills from Weik, a Coralee Glenzer kill and two aces from Weik for a 25-15 win.

Weik had nine kills in the win and Coralee Glenzer had four. Gumz had eight assists and Weik had four. Blomberg had eight aces in 17 serve attempts. Weik had four. Blomberg and Weik had four digs apiece, while Tahlia Scheithauer and Gumz had three digs each.

Game one with the Flambeau Falcons was close for awhile. After trailing early, the Redmen scored three straight points to tie it at 12-12. Coralee Glenzer’s kill put Rib Lake up 15-14 and started a 10-0 run that led to a 25-15 win. Freshman Madelyn Anderson had two kills in that run as did Coralee Glenzer. The Redmen rode that momentum to a quick 14-4 lead in game two. Camryn Glenzer’s kill started another run that included three Avery Niemi aces as the lead grew to 21-6. Blomberg and Weik each had two winners after that in the 25-10 final.

For the second time in a week, Rib Lake had no trouble with the Greenwood Indians, sweeping that match 25-5, 25-10. Blomberg had four kills, three aces and seven digs. Gumz had eight assists and Weik had five. Weik had three kills. Megan Komarek had two of Rib Lake’s 11 aces.

The Redmen’s busy stretch of nonconference competition to start the new season continues tonight, Thursday, at Auburndale in a triangular that includes Colby. The Redmen should see some solid tests at Saturday’s Prentice Invitational before going to Athens for the Marawood North opener Tuesday at 7 p.m.

3-2 at Marathon

Rib Lake went 3-2 and placed fifth out of eight teams Saturday in its annual trip to the Marathon Invitational.

The Redmen went 1-2 in their pool to fall into the consolation bracket. There, they went 2-0 to finish the day, sweeping Three Lakes and Spencer.

Rib Lake outscored Three Lakes 25-15, 2516 in the consolation semifinal, getting eight kills from Weik, five kills from Blomberg, four kills from Komarek and three from Coralee Glenzer. Weik and Komarek both served two aces and Gumz had 11 assists while Weik set up eight assists.

Defensively, Scheithauer had eight digs, while Coralee Glenzer and Lily Butler had five apiece and Weik had a solo block.

The 25-22, 25-20 win over Spencer in the fifth-place match was Rib Lake’s second victory of the tournament over the Rockets. Rib Lake was down 20-17 in game one but rallied behind a Camryn Glenzer kill, a Blomberg kill, a Gumz ace and a Weik kill to win it. The Redmen pulled away from a 16-16 tie to win game two.

The first win over Spencer went the distance. The Redmen rolled 25-12 in game one, but the Rockets responded with a 25-22 win in game two. Rib Lake finished strong in game three. Kills by Blomberg and Weik broke a 1-1 tie and a couple of Spencer misplays made it 5-1 and forced a Spencer timeout. Komarek got a kill and Weik added an ace and a kill for an 8-2 lead the Redmen rolled form there to a 15-5 win.

Weik had a big match with 14 kills, four aces, 12 assists and 11 digs. Coralee Glenzer had nine kills on 18 swings with just one error and Blomberg had five kills. Scheithauer and Blomberg both had 11 digs. Gumz led the team with 14 assists.

To start the day, Rib Lake ran into some stout competition against Stratford and Fall Creek.

Stratford swept the Redmen 25-16, 25-15 in the first round of pool play. The kills Rib Lake got were fairly balanced with Weik and Camryn Glenzer getting four apiece and Blomberg and Coralee Glenzer adding three each. Weik served three aces. Gumz led Rib Lake with eight assists, while Scheithauer had eight digs and Coralee Glenzer and Weik had six each.

The Fall Creek Crickets were 25-12, 25-19 winners in round two. Blomberg led Rib Lake with four kills. Gumz and Weik both served two aces. Gumz had nine assists and Coralee Glenzer had seven digs.

Stratford went 3-0 in pool play and Fall Creek went 2-1 to advance to the championship semifinals. Fall Creek lost to Marathon and Stratford lost to Phillips, so Stratford and Fall Creek met again for third place with Stratford winning again. Marathon beat Phillips for the second time to win the championship match.