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Polar Bears out of postseason play

Hortonville loses to No. 1-seeded Appleton North

By Scott Bellile


The Hortonville Polar Bears overcame one Appleton volleyball team in sectionals but fell to another last week to end their postseason run short of a state trip.

Appleton North 3, Hortonville 0
In the Division 1 sectional final at Appleton North High School on Saturday, Oct. 31, the games were close, but the No. 1-seeded Lightning broke away halfway through set three to claim the sectional title.

Hortonville, a No. 2 seed, started the night falling behind Appleton North. The Polar Bears fought through and made a near-comeback before losing the first set 25-22.

Set two was full of ties and one-point advances, but North pulled off another 25-22 set.

In set three, the Polar Bears grabbed a 10-8 lead before North took the game back 11-10 and didn’t give it up. North maintained their distance and won 25-15.

The Appleton North student showed no sympathy for the losing team, belting “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” at the top of their lungs following the ball’s last drop onto the Polar Bears’ side of the court.

“We knew it was going to be a battle, but unfortunately it wasn’t our night,” Hortonville coach Laura Johnson said.

Johnson said her players dug themselves a big hole each game with numerous unforced errors. Hortonville served aggressively, Johnson said, but North deserved to win with the strong passing and hitting they exhibited.

However, Johnson said this year’s postseason run was the volleyball team’s best in school history.

“We’re very proud of them,” Johnson said.

Of the 14 players on the team, nine are expected to return next year, Johnson said.

“The seniors we lost, they were huge to our team,” Johnson said.

Those seniors are Emily Lautenschlager, Abby Diedrich, Madi Walter, Andrea Arnett and Hailey Weyenberg.

Hortonville Vs. Appleton North (loss): 22-25, 22-25, 15-25.

Leaders
Emily Lautenschlager: 22 digs, 1 assist.
Abby Diedrich: 11 digs.
Madi Walter: 10 kills, 12 digs, 1 assist.
Karissa Gloudemans: 8 kills, 4 digs.
Brittany Sager: 1 kill, 11 digs, 27 assists.

Hortonville 3, Appleton East 0
KAUKAUNA – The Polar Bears defeated Appleton East in a speedy three-set Division 1 sectional semifinal on Thursday, Oct. 29.

The Appleton East Patriots had spiked the Polar Bears’ postseason run in 2014 when they won 3-2 in the sectional semifinal.

Hortonville Vs. Appleton East (win): 25-19, 25-13, 25-15.

Leaders
Emily Lautenschlager: 2 aces, 28 digs, 1 assist.
Katie Schmidt: 6 kills, 1 block.
Mandy Behm: 4 kills, 2 blocks.
Madi Walter: 1 ace, 10 kills, 11 digs, 1 block.
Andrea Arnett: 7 kills, 1 block.
Karissa Gloudemans: 7 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks.
Brittany Sager: 3 kills, 9 digs, 32 assists, 2 blocks.

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