Warriors finally end Rockets’ run

It was long enough to be annoying. Ozaukee High School’s volleyball team hadn’t beaten Cedar Grove-Belgium since 2021 in the Big East Conference Tournament.

The Warriors put that streak to bed on Sept. 29 in Cedar Grove, winning 25-20, 24-26, 25-9, 25-22.

Ozaukee had 50 kills, led by Adalyn Krenek’s 13 and Maddy Barnes’ 12. Leighton Schmitz had nine. Setter Helen Utecht had 40 assists.

“We just were smart. Our hitters are doing a really good job in finding the holes,” coach Amy Barnes said. “Helen’s doing a nice job of giving them the ball, putting them in position to get some kills,” Barnes said.

Kenedeigh Harness had 17 digs. Barnes had 16, Trahern Bartels had 11, Krenek had 10 and Becca Marini had nine.

“An 80-plus dig night, that doesn’t happen very often in four sets,” coach Barnes said. “There were a lot of really long rallies in that game — 45 seconds to a minute long.”

Whoever wins those emotional points, she said, carries momentum for a while.

“Sometimes, it’s a swing of three or four points,” Barnes said.

Ozaukee served 15 aces — Barnes had six — and served at a 91.2% clip.

Claire Lukens led the Rockets with 10 kills. Lauren Lueth had nine. Ariana Loesch had eight blocks and Lueth had seven. Lukens and Brooklyn Cherney each had 15 digs. London Rulli had 14 assists and Lauren Hopeman had 13.

Ozaukee on Saturday went 0-4 in Brookfield, losing to teams from bigger schools of Mukwonago, Brookfield Central, Greendale and Racine Case.

Ozaukee, 9-13 overall and 1-4 in the Big East, plays in the conference tournament in Grand Chute on Saturday, Oct. 10, and hosts Lomira on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The Rockets, 9-16 overall and 1-4 in the Big East, went 2-3 at a Lodi tournament on Saturday, sweeping Catholic Central and Nekoosa and getting swept by Lodi, Chippewa Falls and Belleville.

“Claire Lukens continues to be a key player in both the front row and back row and a leader for our team,” coach Cailey Jeske-Winker said.

Lukens had 14 kills and 26 digs on the day. Lueth had 22 kills. Kylie Gulke played libero and had 59 digs.

The Rockets play at Sheboygan Christian on Oct. 8, in the Big East tourney on Saturday and at Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah on Oct. 13.

Port wins Oostburg invitational

Port swept Oostburg twice and New Holstein and Living Word once each to win the Oostburg invite on Saturday.

Scarlett Van Harpen had 32 kills. Sierra Hoeft had 27 and Summer Wille had 26. Hoeft had 43 assists and Harlow Albiero had 38.

Port swept Kewaskum on Sept. 29, 25-18, 29-27, 25-12. Van Harpen had 13 kills, Wille had 11 and Hoeft had 10. Emersyn Loose had 12 digs. Hoeft had 18 assists and Albiero had 14.

Port swept once-Division 3 powerhouse Howards Grove on Monday, 25-18, 25-16, 25-18. Hoeft and Kiley Cline each had seven kills. Wille had five. Hoeft had 10 assists and Albiero had 9. Hoeft had 10 digs and Wille and Loose each had eight.

Port, 2-2 in the Glacier Trails Conference and 17-9 overall, hosts Plymouth on Oct. 8 and plays at Sheboygan South on Oct. 13.

Grafton hosts Menomonee Falls on Oct. 8  and Cedarburg on Oct. 13.