GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Panthers prepare to pounce

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Coming off its best season in about a decade, Wilmot Union High School looks to get better entering the 2017 girls volleyball season, according to fifth-year coach Kevin Raap.

“We are going to be very competitive again this year,” said Raap, whose team finished in a third-place tie in the intense Southern Lakes Conference at 4-3 and 21-16 overall. “The team is working on improving on last year’s marks.”

The Panthers, who lost team kills leader Lauren Daniels and first-team all-conference setter Devin Coleman to graduation, expect to rely on nine returning letter-winners.

Among the returners are 5-foot-11 senior middle blocker/outside hitter Rebecca Bell, Karina Leber and senior 5-6 setter Sara Bedessem.

Last year, Bell accounted for 186 kills, 56 total blocks while Bedessem dove in for a team-leading 452 digs.

The team, according to Raap, selected Bell and Bedessem to serve as team captains.

Bedessem, who was libero as a junior, has made a seamless transition to setter.

“Sara has made some great connections with her hitters so far and we are very early into the season,” Raap said. “She has been the game a long time and knows it well, she is going to do great things for this team this year.”

For Leber, the 6-2 sophomore middle blocker, she logged 167 kills as a freshman and added 72 total blocks.

In addition to Leber and Bell, returning seniors Samantha Serak, Ashley Lesko (5-10) and Stephanie Ollinger (5-9) and Rachel Jenkins (5-8) look to bolster the front row.

Serak, a 5-10 outside hitter, was among the top five in team kills with 115 as a junior.

Back row returners are senior defensive specialists Kylee Mulhollon and Sydney Helmuth, both 5-3 defensive specialists.

Newcomers to team are junior setters Emily Wagner (5-4) and Riley Alexander (5-5) along with sophomore setter/opposite Alison Buchta (5-9).

Replacing Sara Bedessem as libero is her sister, freshman Kaelyn Bedessem, Raap said.

“It is kind of a unique situation we have, Sara has handed her role of libero over to her younger sister,” Raap said.

While Raap hopes to see improvement, there are plenty of teams standing in the Panthers way in the SLC, including conference champions Burlington and Westosha Central.

Waterford, with SLC player of the year Mia Grunze, also poses a challenge.

“Burlington is always strong, watch for them to have another solid year. Mia Grunze will make Waterford a team to watch in our conference,” Raap said. “Westosha has a tradition of winning, even with a new coach and the seniors they lost, don’t write them off.”
Union Grove is another contender, Raap added.

RESULTS
Wilmot starts 2-0
In the Aug. 24 season-opener at Sheboygan South, the Panthers collected two wins, including one against WIAA Division 3 defending champion Howards Grove (25-13, 14-25, 25-23).
Wilmot defeated Sheboygan South 25-15, 25-15, 25-15 in Game 1.
The Panthers were led by Leber (14 kills), Serak (16 digs, eight aces), Bell (six aces, 13 kills, eight blocks), Lesko (12 blocks) and Bedessem (41 assists).

Panthers split weekend tourney
Wilmot, which hosted a seven-team tournament Aug. 26, finished 2-2 to place third.
Match scores: lost to Kenosha Christian Life (19-25, 25-21, 19-25), def. Cudahy (25-12, 25-11, 25-14), lost to Stoughton (22-25, 16-25), def. Christian Life (25-20, 25-20).
The Panthers were led by Leber (25 kills, eight blocks), Bell (20 kills, 4.5 blocks), Serak (12 aces, 15 kills), Bedessem (seven aces, 55 assists).


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