By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School girls volleyball team lost in the title match of its own Elk Invite Saturday.
The Elks won the opening set 27-26, but lost the next two 27-26, 16-14 to Janesville Craig, which took the title.
“Overall, I learned a lot about my team and I think they learned a lot about each other,” coach Amber Pedersen said. “Every time we got down and had our backs against the wall they fought back to win. They played with a lot of heart and I am so proud of that.”
The Elks finished 3-0 in matches in pool play. They defeated Williams Bay Faith Christian 25-12, 25-20 and dropped the first set against Palmyra-Eagle 25-23 before defeating the Eagles 25-15, 25-7.
They also dropped the first set in their third match against Williams Bay, 25-20, before rallying and winning 26-24, 16-14 in the next two sets.
“At the end of pool play we were first in our pool,” Pedersen said. “They were long and tough matches to get us through the morning.”
Following pool play the Elks faced Badger, which finished second in the opposite pool. The Elks won the first set 25-18, lost the second set 25-19 and closed the match with a 25-19 victory in the third set.
The Elks then faced Craig in the title match.
Ali Flasch finished the day with 111 assists and 11 aces. Courteney Curtis finished with 52 digs and 31 kills.
The Elks defeated Waterford in a Southern Lakes Conference match Sept. 6 at home. Elkhorn won the first set 25-22 and lost the second set 25-21. The Elks won the third set 26-24 and the fourth set 25-15.
“A good win for us,” Pedersen said. “We haven’t beaten Waterford in a couple of years and it is always nice to pull out a win in the conference.”
Dylan Moody and Maggie McGraw each finished with 10 kills and Flasch tallied 32 assists. Curtis finished with 17 digs.
The Elks played Tuesday in a SLC match against the Panthers at Wilmot and play Saturday in the Slinger Invitational at Slinger.
