By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
A couple key absences from the lineup could have thrown the Big Foot volleyball team a bit off its game last weekend.
The Chiefs were determined to not let that happen, however.
Big Foot survived a hiccup in the middle, and posted a 4-1 overall record to win Saturday’s Badger Invitational.
The Chiefs posted victories of 25-13, 25-10 over Green Bay Preble and 23-25, 25-18, 15-11 over Badger before they dropped a 22-25, 25-20, 14-16 decision to Jefferson.
Big Foot (23-7 overall, 5-0 Rock Valley Conference) bounced back for a 21-25, 25-20, 15-7 win over nearby rival Williams Bay and a 20-25, 28-26, 17-15 win over Badger in the title contest.
“I was extremely pleased with the team’s effort at Badger,” Big Foot coach Caitlin Dowden said. “We were missing Payton (Courier) and Courtney (Schoenbeck), so we were running a completely different lineup than we have ever run before.”
Dowden said she moved Gloria Esarco to the middle, Jordan Bobek to the outside and had a freshman, Lahni Palmer, on the right side.
The transition was a fairly seemless one.
“As one of the officials said, had she not know I was missing players, she would have never known,” Dowden said. “The girls meshed well in the different spots and really worked through it together.”
Statistical leaders for the day were:
- vs. Preble: Escarco (6 kills), Bobek (6 digs, 4 kills), Kampbell Hehr (16 assists, 6 digs, 6 aces, 4 kills) and Abby Peterson (6 aces).
- vs. Badger: Peterson (9 kills), Esarco (13 digs, 9 kills), Hehr (22 assists, 18 digs), Bobek (11 digs) and Foster (13 digs);
- vs. Jefferson: Hehr (18 assists, 18 digs, 9 kills), Peterson (8 digs, 8 kills), Bobek (5 kills), Esarco (4 aces, 5 kills, 9 digs) and Foster (8 digs);
- vs. Williams Bay: Peterson (7 kills), Esarco (8 digs, 5 kills), Hehr (11 assists, 13 digs, 4 kills), Katie Santeler (3 aces), Bobek (15 digs) and Foster (9 digs); and
- vs. Badger: Esarco (9 digs, 6 kills), Bobek (11 digs, 5 kills), Peterson (5 kills, 20 digs) and Hehr (11 digs, 18 assists).
Dowden was pleased with many aspects of her team’s effort.
“It truly was a great day for the team,” she said. “Each person contributed when it was their time to contribute, and I truly believe that is why we were so successful.”
Big Foot opened its week with a 25-19, 25-16, 25-12 win Sept. 27 over visiting Beloit Turner.
Leaders were Esarco (13 kills, 9 digs), Courier (6 kills), Peterson (6 kills), Hehr (6 kills, 12 digs, 27 assists), Santeler (4 aces), Bobek (9 digs) and Foster (9 digs).
“It took us a little longer to get going, but once we hit our stride, we took control of the match,” Dowden said. “We continue to strive to play ‘Big Foot volleyball.’ We want to set that tempo from point one.”
Big Foot traveled to Palmyra-Eagle Tuesday night and hosted Brodhead-Juda on Thursday. The Chiefs host Parkview next Tuesday, Oct. 4.
