Pointers KO Heights spikers

They made strides throughout the year. And with a terrific nucleus expected back in 2025, Wisconsin Heights’ girls volleyball team could make even greater gains next season. The eighth-seeded Vanguards defeated ninth-seeded Iowa Grant, 25-15, 24-26, 25-15 25-14, in a WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinal on Oct. 22. Top-seeded Mineral Point then defeated Heights in a regional semifinal, 25-16, 25-8, 25-13, on Oct. 24. “We were so excited to host a regional game this season,” Heights coach Katie Doescher said. “This was the first one in a few years. It’s a big step forward for us as a program and it really validates everything these girls work so hard for day in and day out.  “Our girls definitely showed up ready to play (against Iowa-Grant) and ready to win for their team, their fans and their school. After taking the first set, we let Iowa Grant back in, lost our energy and focus in set 2, but came back strong to take the match.” Things were much tougher against a terrific Mineral Point team. But there were plenty of positives. Maya Luko and Haydan Louis both served at 100%. Mia Blicharz had six assists and Sonja Severson had seven kills and 15 digs. “We stayed with them for most of the first set and then their strong offense just started taking over the match,” Doescher said of the Pointers. “We talked in timeouts and between sets about never counting ourselves out. You lose a set, so what. We start over.  “For me, when you’re facing a talented competitor like Mineral Point, the win or loss doesn’t matter, but how we played together and how we finished is what mattered. Did we keep believing? Did we keep our joy and energy on the court? Those were goals I had in that third set to keep our girls up. And they didn’t give up.  “Even on that final serve receive I could see focus and strength. And that’s a win in its own way. They put big effort into building their skills this season and building their team. Sometimes that high level of effort didn’t always equate with wins for us. But we played tough and together as a unit all season, even against strong competitors.” And that why Doescher is so excited about 2025. Heights should have five key seniors back to anchor the team, which could mean the Vanguards continue their upward ascension. “We showed so much resilience this season,” Doescher said. “We had the most number of wins we’ve had in a few years. We built strong connections with each other and we accomplished so much together this season that we haven’t experienced before. It’s exciting and I’m hopeful to carry all that into next  year.  “We also bring back the bulk of our team. I know we will all keep working relentlessly during off season and when August rolls around again to just keep elevating our team and this program and see how far we can go and  how much we can achieve together.”