MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Oct. 15–22)
WIAA DIVISION 5 VOLLEYBALL: No. 2 Belmont 3, No. 3 Pecatonica 0
By Jason Nihles, Boscobel Dial / The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times
Braves sweep Vikings to win first regional volleyball title since 2004
BELMONT — The Belmont volleyball team has finally broken through. Coach Danielle Bonin’s Braves cruised to a WIAA Division 5 regional title with a first-round bye and back-to-back 3–0 victories over Potosi and Pecatonica last week. It was the program’s first regional championship since 2004.
After a 25–17, 25–13, 25–21 sweep of No. 7 seed Potosi Thursday night, the No. 2 seeded Braves made quick work of Pecatonica, 25–22, 25–12, 25–10 in Saturday night’s regional final match.
Belmont had been to six regional finals in the past 20 years, but lost all of them, to Highland (2005 and 2022), Southwestern (2006) Potosi (2007, 2013) and Riverdale (2019).
“Speaking for the girls and the program, it feels great,” to win the regional said Bonin, who is now 59–43 in her four years as head coach. “This a great group of girls working together. They work so hard together, and they knew that there was a common goal. They knew at the beginning of playoffs that they were going into the regional with a great record all because of there hard work. It’s rewarding for them and the regional title gives them more to come back for, but there is still unfinished business.”
The Braves (20–7) will travel to top seeded Barneveld (20–8) to face the Six Rivers East champion Golden Eagles.
Belmont beat Barneveld 21–25, 25–21, 15–12 in the three-set contest to win the championship of the season-opening Monticello Six Rivers Invitational Aug. 31.
“Barneveld is a really good team, and they are also playing some of their best ball,” said Bonin. “There were some areas that we were able to work with when we played Barneveld at the Monticello tournament as our team read holes to capitalize on points. The girls need to work just as hard as they did on Saturday night when we play Barneveld. They have every tool in the box to use. It will be an excellent match to watch.”
Sophomore Lexi Riechers posted a double–double of 10 kills and 12 digs to lead the Braves in Saturday’s regional final win over Pecatonica. Senior Morgan Freeman had 14 digs and six kills, and senior Kaci Riechers added nine assists, seven kills and six digs. Senior Kalli Hodgson matched her season-high with four blocks.
“Our girls did a great job at working together,” said Bonin. “As a coach, you want your team to be playing their best ball during the tournament, and the girls did just that. They did a great job at studying what Pec could do and as a team they showed up to work and achieve what they wanted, a regional title. They swung hard on Saturday night and they defended the ball that much more. The girls did a great job defending the ball with some great blocks that haven’t happened all season.”
“Things are coming together well, but the girls know that they have to work just as hard, if not harder in our match with Barneveld on Thursday.”
Freeman led Belmont with 10 kills and 16 digs in last Thursday’s sweep of Potosi. Claire Runde also had a co-team-high 16 digs and served up four aces.
WIAA Division 5 regional semifinal
Belmont 3, Potosi 0
(from Thursday, Oct. 24 @ Belmont)
No. 7 Potosi.......17 13 21
No. 2 Belmont...25 25 25
Belmont stat leaders
Kills: Morgan Freeman 10, Lexi Riechers 9, Carsyn Ramaker 4. Blocks: L. Riechers 1, Ramaker 1. Assists: Kaci Riechers 17, Addy McNett 6. Aces: Claire Runde 4. Digs: Runde 16, Morgan Freeman 16, K. Riechers 8, L. Riechers 7.
Potosi stat leaders
Kills: Madi Weber 5, Alayna Kerkhoff 4. Blocks: Hope Haase 2. Assists: Emily Schaefer 14. Aces: Schaefer 4. Digs: Matty Udelfofen 7, Lillie Cooley 5.
WIAA Division 5 regional final
Belmont 3, Pecatonica 0
(from Saturday, Oct. 26 @ Belmont)
No. 3 Pecatonica...22 12 10
No. 2 Belmont........25 25 25
Belmont stat leaders
Kills: Lexi Riechers 10, Kaci Riechers 7, Morgan Freeman 6, Carsyn Ramaker 5. Blocks: Hodgson 4, Freeman 2, Emilee Reuter 1. Assists: Addy McNett 15, K. Riechers 9. Aces: Freeman 2, Claire Runde 2. Digs: Freeman 14, Runde 14, L. Riechers 12, K. Riechers 6.
