Larson's digs highlight finishing comeback, help earn Sauk Prairie girls volleyball team first ever state tournament berth

By Dan Larson, Sauk Prairie Eagle

MCFARLAND – It started with a kill by Alison Halweg, and five other girls contributed at least one point for Sauk Prairie in its impressive fourth-set comeback over Madison Edgewood on Saturday night.

But the two most crucial plays for the Eagles? Those were made by Brooke Larson, who didn’t need to score a point to make a difference.

"I wasn’t going to let any ball hit the ground – I wasn’t going to let my team down," she said after she came up with back-to-back diving digs in the waning moments of the set, fueling the tying and go-ahead points for the Eagles in their 25-19, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23, WIAA Division 2 sectional final win at McFarland High School.

"I just had to keep it alive."

She sure did. And those digs – two of her eight in the match – allowed the Eagles to complete a 15-4 finishing run that erased a 19-10 deficit and gave them their first ever state tournament berth.

"All the girls just kind of pulled together. ... It was now or never. We (said), ‘We want this game. We want to finish it now,’" said senior setter Lauren Halweg, who equaled Edgewood’s Olivia Dittman with a match-high 45 assists, but added as much to the comeback with a tip for an energizing point midway through it that caught the Crusaders off-guard.

"It's just an honor to be going to state. ... We're so excited."

The night started in exciting fashion for the Eagles, too.They finished the first set with a 6-1 run — similar to the match’s finish, it was highlighted by points from three different girls — then didn’t waste much time using an 8-2 run to create more than enough separation to win the second.

The latter run was sparked early by a kill by Lacey Puls — who, along with Brittany Hahn, paced the Eagles with 13 of them — and back-to-back digs by Puls and Larson during a rally that led to an Eagles’ point. Alison Halweg finished the run with kills for two of the final three points, including the final one.

Sauk Prairie winning the first two sets was a start that wasn’t lost on Edgewood coach Steve Bleier.

"We have been notoriously slow starters, and we talked (before hand) about how that could come back to burn us a little bit," he said. "And I think tonight it might have."

As much as it hurt the Crusaders, though, it helped the Eagles

"It was so important," Lauren Halweg said. "... Then we knew we could beat (them)."

"... I mean, they’e an awesome team — they’re an awesome, awesome team — and we were all a little nervous. But I think that was huge for us. We knew we could do it."

Not right away, though. The Crusaders bounced back in the third set and kept a three- or four-point lead most of the way, finishing the set with a kill from Brittany Hermann.

But Larson’s pivotal digs helped to keep the Crusaders from forcing a fifth set.

They also left a lasting impression on Halweg.

"Brooke Larson, you’re my hero. You’re awesome," she said, just before making her way back to the celebration.

For more coverage of the Eagles' state-tournament berth, including a look at the tournament, pick up a copy of the Nov. 4 edition of the Eagle, or visit the Eagle's Web site that day.

Madison Edgewood    19 13 25 23 — 1

Sauk Prairie               25 25 18 25 — 3

MADISON EDGEWOOD: (leaders): Kills — Ring 19. Blocks — Hermann 3. Digs —Lauren Peterson 13. Aces — Peterson 6. Assists — Dittman 45.

SAUK PRAIRIE: Kills — Lacey Puls, Brittany Hahn 13. Blocks — Puls 2. Digs — Hahn 18, Aimee Thrune 17, Brooke Larson 8. Aces — Caroline Gust 4. Assists — Lauren Halweg 45.