A North Eastern Conference championship is not in the cards this season for the Oconto Falls volleyball team.
Luxemburg-Casco wrapped up at least a share of a conference title Oct. 7 by winning three of four games on the Panthers’ home court. Oconto Falls fell to 5-2 in North Eastern matches, while the Spartans improved to 7-0.
The Spartans opened the match with a 30-28 win, but the other three sets weren’t as close. Luxemburg-Casco took a 2-0 lead with a 25-19 win in the second game before the Panthers came up with a 25-18 win. Luxemburg-Casco then wrapped up the match with a 25-14 win.
Oconto Falls served for the win twice in the first set, while the Spartans had four chances to get the win before finally coming up with the winning point.
“The first set was tough,” coach Rochell Otto said. “We were right there. It’s unfortunate that we had our opportunities to put them away. We let one call get the best of us, and we let them back in the game.”
The Panthers trailed for most of the second game before taking a 14-13 lead. The Spartans regrouped to take a 20-15 lead and Oconto Falls never got any closer than three points.
The Panthers never trailed in the third game and led by as many as six points to get back into the match.
“It was huge for our confidence to know we could hang with them,” Otto said.
However, the Spartans kept the Panthers from forcing a fifth set by winning the fourth game.
Unforced errors hurt the Panthers’ chances, especially in the fourth set.
“We missed too many serves tonight,” Otto said. “Unfortunately, it was our worst game on the service line. We just have to keep working on the mental aspect of the game, because that will make you or break you.”
Otto was able to be on the court as Izzy Otto, her daughter and the team’s setter, recorded her 2,000th career assist.
“As a junior, 2,000 assists, that’s a pretty big deal,” coach Otto said. “She just brings energy. She can chase balls and is athletic on the court.”
It was the third major milestone for the Panthers this season, as Lucy Ripley, another junior, had her 1,000th kill and senior Rylie Shallow marked her 1,000th dig.
Otto and Ripley are part of a junior class that will be back for the Panthers next season.
“They’ve been playing together for a long time and know each other quite well,” Otto said. “It’ll be fun to see them keep growing.”
The WIAA state tournament will begin Oct. 21 with regional matches and wrap up Nov. 6-8 at the Resch Center in Green Bay. The Panthers will compete in Division 2 in a sectional bracket that also includes Denmark, Fox Valley Lutheran, Freedom, Green Bay West, Luxemburg-Casco, Marinette, New London, Notre Dame, Seymour and Two Rivers.
“On a positive note, the second season is right around the corner,” Otto said. “We just have to keep our heads up, keep focusing and keep improving, because we’re still not at our peak.”
