Girls spikers dreaming of a title
Middleton’s seniors were just beginning 4K the last time the girls volleyball team reached the WIAA Division 1 state tournament.
Middleton head coach Maddie Vogel was just an eighth grader herself. And some of the younger Cardinals had barely learned to walk.
Enough’s enough.
That’s how the 2022 Cardinals feel when it comes to ending Middleton’s 13-year state tournament drought.
“State is very much so a goal for us this year, but it’s far from the only goal,” Vogel said. “We are prioritizing whatever is directly in front of us. With that being said, state is in the back of our minds, and will be a driving force as we train this season.”
With good reason.
Middleton dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Holmen in the sectional finals last season, but bring back five all-conference players from that team.
“Last year’s loss in the sectional finals is absolutely driving us this year,” Vogel said. “It’s tough to get so close and miss it by that much, so it is definitely something we are cognizant of.”
Leading the way will be a pair of future Division 1 players in senior middle blocker Sierra Pertzborn (Toledo) and senior outside hitter Jordan LaScala (UW-Milwaukee).
Pertzborn was named first-team all-Big Eight Conference last season after leading Middleton with 89 total blocks. She was also second on the team in kills (288), had a whopping .497 kill percentage, was fourth in aces (45) and sixth in digs (108).
“Sierra has become a dominant force in the middle,” Vogel said. “She has been working hard to expand her shot arsenal and be a threat on both offense and defense.
“Sierra is a player we’ll be depending on a lot this year not only for her athleticism, but also for her leadership abilities and mentorship of younger players both on and off the court.”
LaScala had a terrific junior season of her own and was also named first-team all-Big Eight.
LaScala led the Cardinals with 466 kills and had an outstanding hitting percentage of .388. LaScala was also second on the team in digs (333) and third in aces (47).
“Jordan has been a ringer on the team since her freshman year,” Vogel said. “Now, as a senior, she has grown exponentially and become even more of a threat.
“She is consistent across the board, from serve receive to defense to attacking. As a captain on the team for the second year in a row, we also rely heavily on Jordan to create a strong foundation, and she does an awesome job of leading by example in everything she does.”
Senior setter Evin Jordee was a second-team all-conference selection last year who finished the season with a whopping 936 assists — an average of 11.1 assists per set. She also led Middleton with 85 aces and was fourth on the team in digs (225) and fourth in kills (115).
“Evin has also been on the team for four years now,” Vogel said. “She excels at building a trusting relationship with her hitters, something that I believe sets her apart from other setters. As a captain and setter, she really steps up to the plate in whatever ways we need. Evin is a player who will give her absolute all to her team.”
Senior libero/defensive specialist Eliana Ross was also named second-team all-conference after leading the Cardinals in digs (428). Ross was also second in assists (74) and fifth in aces (36).
“Eliana is the kind of defender hitters hate playing against, simply because she manages to get touches on absolutely everything,” Vogel said. “She is a true leader in our back row, and has grown immensely over her high school career. We are planning to run a fast offense this year, and that is all made possible by Eliana.”
Junior defensive specialist/libero Amber Wahlgren, who was named honorable-mention all-conference, is also back. Wahlgren was second on the team in aces (66) last year, second in digs (234) and tied for fourth in assists (21).
“We rely on Amber a lot in defense and serve receive,” Vogel said. “She brings a lot of consistency to our back row. I’m excited to see her continue to grow.”
Amelia Frautschi and Addy Gmur are two other key returnees.
“They will be instrumental in helping us be a strong blocking team,” Vogel said.
Middleton’s top newcomers include Abby Tubbs (DS/L), Emma Tubbs (DS/RS), Annika Van Buren (OH), and Laina Gustafson (M). A
“All four newcomers are capable of pushing and challenging our returners in practice, and will be crucial in our overall success this season,” Vogel said.
Middleton will be the favorite in the Big Eight Conference. And if things go as planned, the Cardinals will back to the state tournament for the first time since Year 1 of the Obama presidency.
“It is definitely an attainable goal for us,” Vogel said of reaching the state tournament.
