Area teams look for consistency in regional playoffs
What team is going to show up?
The Augusta High School Volleyball team certainly has the talent to beat Blair-Taylor as they did this season 3-1.
But they also lack the consistency and focus to where they could lose to a Lincoln squad at the bottom of the Dairyland Conference. That's why the Beavers are just a few ticks over .500 at 14-12 overall.
So indeed the question remains which team will show up because it will affect the outcome of the WIAA Division 4 regional tournament.
The No. 6 seeded Beavers are at the No. 3 seeded Wildcats (22-5 overall) Thursday evening, Oct. 22 in a semifinal match-up. The other semifinal pits No. 7 seed Elmwood/Plum City (23-12) at No. 2 seed Independence/Gilmanton (21-4). The winners square off in the championship at the highest remaining seed's gymnasium on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
Had B-T won the match they would have won an outright Dairyland Conference title. Instead they had to share it with Independence/Gilmanton. A factor of revenge is strong in the 'Cats favor along with the play of their top two players, senior middle Chloe Mendenblik, the DC leader in kills this season and her sophomore teammate Charlyse Horton. They had 21 and 16 kills respectively against the Beavers during their regular season match-up. Junior Emma Wathke had 42 assists in the match
But it was AHS winning the match at home 25-23, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23. While Augusta's kill leaders seniors Maddi Meyer and Stella Zank did their thing with 14 and eight kills respectively set up by setter fellow senior Brooklyn Krueger, what made the difference was serving. AHS had 11 aces and will need to find that ability again which has always been evident in recent matches even in recent wins.
And even if the Beavers get past the Wildcats they'll need enough energy and consistency in 48 hours to beat - and win their first regional title since 2007 - more-than-likely I/G, who beat them early in the regular season 3-1. Augusta took the first game 25-22 but the Indee Panthers edged them in Game 2 by a 28-26 margin and was in control the rest of the way 25-21 and 25-10. Senior Nora Schank and junior Hadley Sylla led I/G in kills with 16 and 11 respectively vs. Augusta. They also had a lot of aces, 18 in all led by junior Harper Symicek's six. The setting is done by junior Hannah Ekern and she had 34 in that match.
EPC had had a very good season with three invite titles won but they've struggled against some of the top teams they've faced in dual competition. The Wolves have good frontline players seniors Aurora Sampair, Abby Krings and Allison Sauve along with junior setter Polly Webb, who already has 2,000 assists in just three seasons of play.
Augusta downed Osseo-Fairchild 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the regional quarterfinals, their first tournament win since 2024. The Beavers won 25-20, 23-25, 25-11 and 25-18. Winning Game 3 by such a lopsided margin after losing a close Game 2 was very important ion establishing Augusta's control of the match. AHS won despite O-F getting 13 blocks in the match led by Jianna Scheffer's eight. She also finished with eight kills, Jasmin Curry had four aces, Addy Swanson and Sara Giacomino both had 14 digs and Brylie Johnson had 13 assists as the Thunder concluded their season 5-25 overall.
Speaking of what team shows up, Fall Creek's path to winning their first regional title since 2023 will at first depend on which Durand-Arkansaw team shows up Thursday, Oct. 22 at FC in a Division 3 regional smeifinal.
While the No. 1 seeded and No. 10 ranked Crickets (33-9) swept D-A earlier this season at home, the No. 9 seeded Panthers (13-16) could be a tricky foe despite their below .500 record due to an imposing frontline of hitters senior Kennedy Garner, who is also one of D-A's top setter and leader in assists, senior Ella Sinz, junior Emma Pelke along with junior setter Sam Tulip and senior libero Olivia Mueller. The Panthers have non-conference wins over Menomonie, and Bloomer in their tally along with their regional quarterfinal win Tuesday at No. 8 seed Neillsville 18-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23. The other semifinal pits No. 5 seed Mondovi (17-14) at No. 4 seed La Crosse Aquinas. The Buffaloes have had a good season at 17-14 overall and 4-4 in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference and downed No. 12 seed Colby on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the regional quarterfinals 25-15, 26-28, 25-18, 25-17. Top players for the Buffs' include senior middle hitter Keira Wright, senior outside hitter Olivia Snyder and they have a freshman setter in Braelynn Dregney-Risler. Aquinas is 10-17 overall but don't let the record fool you as they play in the hypercompetitive and mostly Division 1 Mississippi Valley Conference. Leading the Blugolds are junior middle hitter Ava Kujak and senior middle Angel Miller. Senior setter Adelaide Bezemek has 47 aces so far this season.
https://tournaments.wiaawi.org/brackets/Volleyball/Girls/2026/2026_Volle...
https://tournaments.wiaawi.org/brackets/Volleyball/Girls/2026/2026_Volle...
