Team finished strong season 42-4
By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
One year after the Burlington girls volleyball team blew a 2-0 lead in a Division 1 state semifinal at the state tournament in Green Bay, the Lady Demons were one year smarter, stronger and most importantly, removed from a disheartening defeat at the hands of rival Muskego.
With star players Quinn Spieker and Ali Rueters now seniors, along with a deep team featuring at least 15 viable varsity contributors at any given time, it seemed like this year was the year for revenge.
This year’s state tournament, which concluded last weekend at the Resch Center in Green Bay, was going to be Burlington’s time to shine, as it has all year with a No. 1 state ranking and dominant 42-3 record.
An appetizer against Verona, a team ranked outside of the top 10, would be a mere formality, and another tune-up would lead Burlington to an epic state title clash with defending champion DSHA, a rubber match after the teams split a pair of matches this season.
On Nov. 5, around 8 p.m., Burlington cruised out to a 2-0 lead after 25-21 and 25-14 game victories, and surely it would win one of the next three games to advance to a state semifinal the next night.
But that’s when things broke down, and before the Demons knew it, the match was tied 2-2 and 15 points was all that stood between erasing last year’s loss and suffering the exact same fate.
In the fifth and final set, Burlington realized the urgency of the moment, grabbing a 6-0 lead and extending it to 8-4.
But out of nowhere, Burlington’s serve-receive game was out of whack, and it couldn’t set up its offense.
Spieker, who had 29 kills and a strong .375 hitting percentage, was neutralized by Verona’s strong setting and precise hitting.
Burlington held its last lead at 9-8, but the Wildcats stormed back with a 7-2 run to win, 21-25, 14-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-11, and send the Demons home.
Verona sprinkled a few kills around two blocks, and Burlington’s final serve down 14-11 was long for the final point.
The Demons could hardly believe the improbable turn of events.
“After the match I was just filled with frustration and sorrow,” Hozeska said Tuesday. “I wasn’t mad at anyone on the team because I knew everyone was giving their all during the whole match. I was just mad that we lost in the first round.”
“I couldn’t believe it considering we killed Verona the first and second games, but somehow they just slipped right in and took it away, and broke us down in serve-receive, therefore we couldn’t run many plays.”
Burlington co-coach Teri Leach also pointed to serve-receive, noting Verona took control of the ball and the match.
“It’s a tough loss to reflect on,” Leach said. “We lost control of the ball, and it made everything challenging for our offense. Verona was quick, and their setter was great and created many matchups in their favor.”
Burlington’s nine seniors were confident the week leading up to state, and several said their goal was to win it all.
They leave behind a legacy that includes three state appearances and one gold ball.
“It was a wonderful season that can’t be defined by one untimely, poor performance,” Leach said of the Demons, who finished 42-4. “It marked the end for nine incredible athletes who will be remembered for their strong impact on the program.”
Perhaps none of the nine had a bigger impact than Spieker, who will take her talents to Division 1 North Carolina State next fall.
Her 29 kills carried the Demons at state, and she added 15 digs.
Spieker was a starter on the 2012 state championship squad, and she was recently named a third team All-American and was named first team All-State for the third straight season.
“I wasn’t sure how it ended up the way it did,” Spieker said in a text message a few hours after last Thursday’s loss. “It should’ve been over in three, they put up a great fight.”
“Looking back on it will always be a bummer, but I have big things to look forward to and don’t want to dwell on one loss. It was a great season, and up next is club volleyball.”
Whereas last year Burlington’s hitting percentage was negative as a team in its season-ending loss, hitting wasn’t an issue against Verona.
Spieker and the Demons had a decent .197 mark.
Arden Peterson added eight kills, and Rueter had seven.
Hozeska had five blocks, and Reba Thomsen led with 25 assists. Emma Fettig added 21 assists.
Alyssa Turzenski paced the team with 22 digs.
Rueter earned second team all-state honors from the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association, and Hozeska was honorable mention.
Hozeska will play at Division 2 Western Florida University next season.
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