5 Pool Play Matches To Watch At Charger Challenge
The Eastbay Charger Challenge is here. Judgment weekend with plenty of teams with plenty of tradition, high rankings, and potential matchups that will be a prelude of what we could see for the postseason. Friday starts pool play with bracket…
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Continue ReadingThe Eastbay Charger Challenge is here. Judgment weekend with plenty of teams with plenty of tradition, high rankings, and potential matchups that will be a prelude of what we could see for the postseason. Friday starts pool play with bracket play starting at 12:30 on Saturday. Here are just a few matchups to take a closer look at for preliminary pool play.
Kettle Moraine vs. Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Kettle Moraine has gotten off to a hot start going 12-2 with a tournament title at the Crusader Challenge beating the likes of Howards Grove and Verona with their only two losses coming to Watertown. The Grocholski’s are leading the way with Senior, Hailey Grocholski already surpassing 100 kills and Freshman, Grace Grocholski, is second with 95 kills. KML is looking to turn some heads this weekend and can do so early in this tournament. With a healthy Elle Truckenbrod overcoming an ankle injury along with libero Gianna Feld, they have the experience and talent to make a run. This matchup will be tough to call. DSHA will be the third team in this power pool making it quite a battle Friday night.
Kimberly vs. Hamilton (Title Photo – Kimberly Seniors)
Kimberly is coming off back to back state tournaments while Hamilton is looking to break through. The Papermakers have a Senior dominated team with Kalli Mau (Bellarmine) and Maddy Pearson (UW-Oshkosh) leading the way as setters with Courtney Pearson on the outside scoring points as well. Junior middle, Lakyn Graves is leading the way in kills for the Chargers who have four attackers with at least 80 kills. These two teams are very evenly matched with solid middle blocker play, depth at setting, and plenty of momentum heading into the weekend.
Howards Grove vs. Waterloo
The number one’s get to battle it out in pool play. Howard’s Grove is the number one team in D3 for the Prep Dig rankings while Waterloo is ranked number one for D3 in the WVCA rankings. Both have losses to bigger schools with Howards Grove losing to Kettle Moraine and Oconomowoc while Waterloo has lost to Union Grove, Appleton North, and a one set playoff to Mukwonago. This will also be a match with two of the top players in their classes as well as future Big Ten athletes with libero Saige Damrow (Wisconsin) for Howards Grove and Brooke Mosher (Illinois) for Waterloo.
Appleton North vs. Waunakee
Waunakee has won 15 in a row after dropping two matches the first day of the season. They have tallied big wins against Hamilton, Edgewood, Aquinas, and Lake Mills – all ranked teams in their divisions. Buffalo commit Milla Malik is leading the way as an attacker followed by Jocelyn Meinholz. North is coming into the weekend with their only losses coming to Arrowhead, DSHA, and Mukwonago. The balanced attack from North is led by Sophomore Brianna Cantrell who can score from any spot on the court.
River Falls vs. Mukwonago
Erin Powers of MukwonagoThese teams are extremely opposite. River Falls is led by two big-time pins in Emily Banitt (Loyola-Chicago) and Halle Olson (Florida Atlantic), while their two other commits in Maddi Kealy (UM-Duluth) and Anna Wolf (Minnesota) are coming back from an injury. Maddi’s younger sister, Morgan, only a Freshman has taken the reigns of the offense. Mukwonago is led by two Seniors in Nicole Pozorski (Upper Iowa) and Erin Powers (UAB). Pozorski is dangerous on the second contact and Powers is one of the best defenders in the state who is also hitting on the pin. Mukwonago has knocked off Appleton North and was tied late in the third set against Brookfield Central before the Lancers pulled away.