State runner-up bumping, setting, spiking into form

A playoff rematch didn’t go the way Grafton High School’s volleyball team had hoped at its home invite on Saturday, but coach Ashley Wilson likes that she is still figuring out her team while the Black Hawks are facing top-notch squads.

After sweeping New Berlin Eisenhower, Grafton lost to New Berlin West, 25-17, 16-25, 15-10.

“We’re working hard in practice, trying new things, just figuring out how to fill in the little puzzle we’re continuing to work with,” Wilson said. “It’s fun to see our growth and all the different things that we’re working on in practice coming into the games.”

Senior Paige Proefrock, who has more than 1,000 career kills, had nine kills. Addie Lempke had seven and Grace Tilley had six. Abby Barthelemy had 12 digs. Paige Arentz had 12 assists and Ava Dotson had nine.

“I feel like we played good volleyball all day against two good teams. Just at the end against New Berlin West we couldn’t quite finish in the third set,” Proefrock said. “But playing good teams really pushes us to work hard and get better all together as a team.”

Wilson is going deep on the bench to develop as many players as possible on a team that lost the title match in Division 2 last season. The Hawks beat New Berlin West on the road on the way to state.

“We’re having so much fun, and all the new girls are fitting right in,” Tilley said. “They have so much energy and are bringing so much excitement to the team.”

Lempke said, “It’s so fun to compete with everybody getting involved.”

At Homestead on Sept. 15, the Hawks didn’t bring their best but pulled out a five-set match to remain undefeated in the North Shore Conference. They won, 25-22, 16-25, 23-25, 25-12, 15-12.

Proefrock had 22 kills and Lempke had 15. Proefrock had 22 digs and Barthelemy had 17. Dotson had 24 assists and Arentz had 16.

“It wasn’t our best volleyball, but we got it done and that’s what mattered,” Tilley said.

Grafton, 18-3 overall and 3-0 in the NSC, hosts Nicolet on Thursday, Sept. 24, and plays in a West Bend invite on Saturday, Sept. 26. 

Port beats up on Homestead, too

Now in the Glacier Trails Conference, Port Washington last Thursday renewed acquaintances with an old rival, beating Homestead in Port, 20-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-16.

Sierra Hoeft had 16 kills, Kiley Cline had nine and Scarlett Van Harpen had seven. Van Harpen had eight blocks. Emersyn Loose had 17 digs and Hoeft had 11. Harlow Albiero had 17 assists and Hoeft had 16.

Port got on track after dropping the first set.

“I think we all just started figuring out the rhythm of the game. And we also were more comfortable with each other,” Hoeft said.

“I think we just had to really lock in on our fundamentals,” senior Summer Wille said. “I think reminding ourselves that we’re in this and we’re here together. I think being able to lean on each other helped us come out stronger and gel more.”

Port, 6-8 overall and 1-2 in the GTC, hosts an invite on Saturday, Sept. 26, and hosts Kewaskum on Tuesday, Sept. 29.