The Polar Bear varsity volleyball team entered Fox Valley Association play on Thursday, Sept. 4, as they hosted Appleton North. The Lightning spoiled the Polar Bears’ night, winning 3-0.
Appleton North stormed out to an early lead and took game one by a score of 25-17.
The Polar Bears battled back in the second game by taking a 15-9 lead. It looked as if Hortonville was poised to take the second game, but Appleton North rallied for a 25-23 win.
The Lightning regained momentum after the win in game two, riding the wave to a 25-19 victory in the third game.
Hortonville senior Ashley Syring led the Polar Bears with six kills. Fellow senior Emily Lautenschlager tallied 25 digs and two aces.
Sophomore Brittany Sager added 13 assists and two digs, while junior Hailey Weyenberg tallied three kills and four blocks.
Senior Kori Leist notched three kills and five blocks, and senior Kenzie Thiel earned four kills to go with two blocks.
Battle of the Valley
The Polar Bears competed in the Battle of the Valley on Aug. 26, winning three out of five matches.
Hortonville beat Appleton North by scores of 25-23 and 28-26 and kept the momentum going by beating Xavier 25-14 and 25-15.
The Polar Bears continued their winning ways by beating Oconto Falls, 25-15 and 25-16.
Hortonville ran into some trouble against Neenah, losing by scores of 25-17 and 25-11.
The Polar Bears won their first game against Kimberly by a score of 25-22, but lost the next two by scores of 26-24 and 15-9.
Sager led the team with 59 assists, 17 kills, 23 digs, 11 aces and two blocks in the tournament. Reba Hauser added 25 assists, eight digs and three aces.
Lautenschlager racked up 101 digs and three aces in the tournament, while Leist added 21 kills, nine blocks, eight aces, and five digs.
Katie Schmidt notched 11 kills and 17 digs, while Rachel Swichtenberg added 28 digs and six aces.
Thiel tallied 14 kills, 13 digs, and two aces. Abby Diedrich contributed 20 digs and four aces, while Syring earned 23 kills and five blocks.