Whitehall netters top O-F, go 3-1 at E/PC tourney

The Whitehall volleyball team faced some adversity early last week, but it responded with a win in Thursday’s Dairyland Conference opener.

The Norse trailed Osseo-Fairchild early in the first set, but rallied for the win and went on to take the match, 3-1. Whitehall swept pool play in the Elmwood/Plum City tournament on Saturday before losing a close championship match.

Whitehall began this week with a 6-3 overall record before Tuesday’s match at Independence/Gilmanton. The team hosts Alma/Pepin on Thursday. The team is in action again next Tuesday when it heads to Melrose-Mindoro. 

WHS   27 19 25 25

O-F     25 25   8 17

The Norse rallied to win the first set and dominated a crucial third set to open conference play with a win.

Whitehall trailed 10-3 in the first set, but chipped away before taking a 17-16 lead. The Thunder were ahead 25-24, but with senior Karli Molis serving, the Norse scored three straight to win the set. 

The Thunder struck back to win the second set, but the Norse responded with a decisive 17-point win in the third before finishing the match with a 25-17 win in the fourth. 

Paige Lisowski led the Norse at the net and from the service line. She finished with 13 kills, three blocks, and nine service aces. She also tied for the team high with nine digs.

Bria Pank also stuffed the stat sheet with nine kills, three blocks, 13 set assists, and nine digs. Rani Waldera added eight kills, three blocks, and two aces.

Chloe Paulson led the team with 18 assists. 

E/PC tournament

The Norse only lost only one set until the championship match. 

Whitehall’s only set loss came in the second set against Ellsworth, a 25-14 defeat after Whitehall won the first set, 25-13. The Norse controlled the third set for a 15-6 win. 

Lisowski finished with seven kills, while both Waldera and Pank had five. Waldera added three blocks and Pank had two. Lisowski also finished with two aces and four digs. Pank had six assists and five digs, while Waldera added an ace. Paulson had 11 assists. 

The Norse swept both E/PC and Luck. 

The first set against the host school was close, as Whitehall won 25-23 before taking the second, 25-17. 

Lisowski again had seven kills and two aces. Waldera had five kills and two blocks, while Pank had four kills, one block, seven assists, and five digs. Paulson had nine assists. Hadley Kulig had a big match at the service line with three aces, while she added six digs defensively.

Allaina Currier had four kills and two blocks to lead the Norse at the net in their 25-18, 25-22 win over Luck. Pank added three kills, two aces, four digs and five assists. Taylor Johnson had four aces for the Norse.

Whitehall was close in the championship match, but fell short in both sets to Prairie Farm/Clayton, 25-22, 25-19.

Lisowski led the team with eight kills, while Waldera had five and Kulig finished with four. Lisowski also had nine digs, while Kulig added five. Paulson had five aces.