CHICAGO — Waupun dropped two out of three matches in silver bracket play to finish 14th at last weekend's Nike Challenge in Chicago.
"We played fairly well on Friday night but Saturday was a completely different story," Waupun coach Keith Milkowski said. "We had trouble handling the short serve, closing the block and protecting huge leads in sets.
"These are all correctable things and we will get back in the gym and fix these things."
In Friday's play, Waupun held off Downers Grove North (Ill.), 22-25, 25-21, 25-12 before losing to Sacred Heart (Ky.), 28-26, 25-19. On Saturday, the Warriors fell to Joliet Catholic (Ill.), 25-19, 25-22; defeated Gross Catholic (Neb.), 15-25, 25-14, 25-13; and lost to Waukesha Catholic Memorial, 22-225, 25-20, 25-16 — a team the Warriors beat earlier this season.
"We had little energy on Saturday and it showed in our play," Milkowski said. "We took tentative swings at crucial points in the Catholic Memorial match."
Bridget Nickel led Waupun with 44 kills, 29 digs and 18 blocks. Brandi Dolgner added 32 kills, 28 digs and five aces while Michielah Navis had 91 assists and six aces.
Trisha Core had 20 kills and 19 digs while Lydia Guell had 20 digs and four aces.
Libby Bresser led Waupun with 19 blocks while Jenell Larsen added 12 blocks and eight kills.
Waupun (36-5) hosts New Holstein Thursday.
Nike Challenge
Waupun results: Friday pool play - def. Downers Grove North (Ill.), 22-25, 25-21, 25-12; lost to Sacred Heart (Ky.), 28-26, 25-19.
Saturday silver bracket: lost to Joliet Catholic (Ill.), 25-19, 25-22; def. Gross Catholic (Neb.), 15-25, 25-14, 25-13; lost to Waukesha Catholic Memorial, 22-25, 25-20, 25-16.
WAUPUN (leaders): Kills - Nickel 44, Dolgner 32, Core 20. Blocks - Bresser 19, Nickel 18, Larsen 12. Assists - Navis 91. Digs - Nickel 29, Dolgner 28, Guell 20, Core 19, VanEgtern 16.
Wayland 3
Brookfield Academy 0
Jenna Ptaschinski led Wayland to Friday's 25-15, 25-16, 25-10 Midwestern MCC volleyball win over visiting Brookfield Academy.
Ptaschinski had 10 kills, seven digs, six aces and three blocks. Megan Connell had 22 assists, four aces and four digs while Alli Franco had five kills.
"The girls did an outstanding job adjusting to the different rotations I tried out and continued to improve their defense," Wayland coach Heidi Eisenreich said. "They communicated, hustled and overall played a great game."
Wayland (15-5, 6-0 Midwest) visits The Hope School Tuesday.
WAYLAND 3,
BROOKFIELD ACADEMY 0
Brookfield Academy 15 16 10
Wayland 25 25 25
WAYLAND (leaders): Ptaschinski 10, Franco 5. Aces - Ptaschinski 6, Connell 4. Blocks - Ptaschinski 3. Assists - Connell 22. Digs - Ptaschinski 7, Connell 4, Walton 4.