The Bluejays’ Valley-supremacy season set them up nicely for the post-season and the girls took advantage of their position.
Second-seeded Merrill received a bye into Saturday’s home match with #7 Eau Claire North and its three-set sweep sealed up a regional title.
It had taken four sets the last time these squads met – in Eau Claire on Sept. 30 – but this time the Jays used 25-16, 25-21 and 25-23 sets to make fast work of the Huskies.
“We were excited coming into tonight to get our first match of tournament play on our home court” MHS coach Kris Krug said. “The last time that we played Eau Claire North, they were very scrappy and never got down on themselves.
“They played us tough. At this point in the season everyone wants to win, so it’s difficult to predict the outcome. We were very proud of the girls as they kept their composure even when the games got a little tighter than we wanted. When we continue to take care of our business, we won’t be disappointed.”
While there were plenty of fireworks during sets, they ended in the less-than-exciting fashion of Huskies’ errors.
North dropped the first set on a beyond-the-line serve.
The second and third sets were streaky affairs. Merrill fell behind 5-2 in Set 2, then grabbing a 10-5 lead with back-to-back Anna Finnell smashes, and a Morgan Wardall big hit and a block. Points rotated on several net and play errors. North finally tied it at 19-19 after a pair of low spikes. A low serve and two Rylee Folz hammers gave MHS a 22-20 lead. A long spike cut the lead in half, but the Huskies served low and hit long wrapped around a Finnell left-handed tip, and the set was over.
The Jays threatened to run away with the final set after staking a 13-5 lead but North rallied within 17-14 with a little luck and Merrill mistakes.
MHS jumped it to 21-14 with a Finnell power hit and Folz play-saving dig, but the Huskies mushed it all the way to a 23-22 lead with some strong spikes capped by a big block. North gave up the tie on a long serve and Merrill closed this one out without help, from a Wardall smash after a Chey Pyka super save and a Ali Zam?zow ace.
Producing for the Jays were: Emily Page (3 kills, 2 aces, 32 assists, 6 d); Folz (9 k, 2 bl, 4 d); Pyka (3 ac, 15 d); Maddix Bonnell (4 k, 15 d); Zamzow (4 ac, 9 d); Finnell (10 kills); Wardall (6 k, 2 bl); Katie Zelinski (6 k); Morgan Marnholtz (11d).
Merrill improved to 28-7 with the victory. The Bluejays will play in the sectional semi-final against #3 Chippewa Falls (19-8) at Wausau East at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. The other semi-final match-up, starting at 6:00 p.m., features #1 seed Eau Claire Memorial (28-6-1) versus #4 D.C. Everest (27-9-4).