SPORTS

Merrill volleyball heads to state as underdog

Tim Johnson
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Katie Zelinski, left, is a reason why Merrill is in the WIAA state girls volleyball tournament for the second time in three years.

MERRILL - The top three ranked Division 2 teams are part of the WIAA girls volleyball state tournament this weekend.

Then there's unranked Merrill.

The Bluejays (28-9) enter the weekend as a clear darkhorse of the loaded four-team field that includes Catholic Memorial, Notre Dame and Lakeside Lutheran.

"We definitely are the underdog going in," said Merrill senior Katie Zelinski, who has 359 kills and a .290 hitting percentage this fall.

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But the resilient Bluejays already have shown the ability to overcome long odds this postseason. Merrill overcame a two-set deficit to defeated Bloomer in a Division 2 sectional title last Saturday in Rice Lake. The Bluejays also rallied to win the final two sets and knock off Medford in a regional title game.

"I said, 'The hardest thing to do is to beat a team that never gives up and I want you to be that team.'," Merrill coach Kris Krug said of the message to her team during Saturday's match. "Through the season (the players) have never got too excited about anything and I have kind of complained to them about it (during the year) about how they have to show some emotion.

"But in this case (against Bloomer), they never looked like they were down two sets. They stayed pretty even-keeled during (the match). When it comes to tournament time you can see with some teams when the wheels are starting to come off and they are wearing their emotions," Krug said. "This team just picks each other when things are not going well. They really showed some character in the way they came back."

Senior libero Taylor Cichy said the Bluejays made a few adjustments after the second set against Bloomer.

"We corrected our blocking because it was a little off (in the first two sets) and we corrected just a lot of our communication (on the court)," Cichy said.

Bloomer and Zelinski are the two seniors on the roster, but the Bluejays have a group of experienced postseason players.

Merrill, which finished second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, is making its eighth state appearance overall and the second in the past three years. Zelinski was one of four Bluejays players who saw court time in the 2014 tournament. Morgan Wardall, Maddix Bonnell and Lindsey Casper also played as the Bluejays were swept by Germantown in a Division 1 state quarterfinal.

Morgan
Wardall

Wardall has 342 kills for the Bluejays and Casper has 542 assists.Cichy has a team-high 502 digs.

"We play a lot of club volleyball outside of (the high school season) and I think that helps a lot," Wardall said.

Lindsey 
Casper

The Bluejays, who have won five straight matches and 10 of the past 11, face Catholic Memorial in a state semifinal matchup at 4 p.m. Friday at the Resch Center. The Crusaders (40-7), who were the top-ranked team in Division 2 in the final  Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association state poll, have won the last two state titles.

Notre Dame and Lakeside Lutheran, ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, meet in the other semifinals and the winners advance to Saturday's championship game.

Catholic Memorial has won 11 straight matches and are led by senior outside hitter Lexi Alden, who has a team-high 402 kills. Seniors Kathryn Christian and Maddy Rondeau lead Catholic Memorial with 530 digs and 639 assists, respectively.

The Crusaders provide a tough challenge, but one the Bluejays welcome.

"We are just going to have to go out, give it all we've got (on Friday)," Zelinski said. "The way we have played the last few games, I feel that we can do it."

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or timothy.johnson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11

MERRILL (28-9)

AT CATHOLIC MEMORIAL (40-7)

What: WIAA Division 2 girls volleyball state semifinal

When: 4 p.m., Friday

Where: Resch Center, Green Bay

Tickets: $8 per session