By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The Union Grove High School girls’ volleyball team is making tournament success this season look easy.
The Broncos won their fourth tournament of the season Oct. 12 in the Shoreland Slam at Shoreland Lutheran High School in Somers.
The Broncos also won the UW-Oshkosh Showdown Sept. 28 at UW-Oshkosh, the Kettle Moraine Lutheran Invitational Sept. 14 at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School and the UW-Whitewater Invitational Aug. 28 at UW-Whitewater.
“I really think the drills and the way our practices have been focused are the reason for our success at tournaments,” Broncos coach Sara Busalacchi said.
Busalacchi said the Broncos practices are controlled affairs that leave the players extremely tried, and that the drills done during those practices help conditioning for longer days on the court.
At Shoreland the Broncos defeated the host Pacers in the championship match 25-13, 25-20.
Union Grove (29-8 overall) also defeated Racine Horlick 25-16, 25-21; Racine Case 25-21,25-12; and Watertown Luther Prep 25-12, 25-12.
“It was great to face Horlick High School again, as they defeated us earlier in the season,” Busalacchi said. “We came out strong right in the beginning, determined to set a precedent, and we did.”
The Broncos played on the day of their Homecoming dance, and Homecoming Queen Cassy Goodrich helped lead the way with 49 digs. Kelley Becker tallied 56 digs and Savannah Kohlhagen 41.
Kohlhagen also finished with 33 kills. Kylie Wilks finished with 41 assists, 21 kills and 14 service aces. Melissa Gramza finished with 40 assists.
The Broncos improved to 4-2 in Southern Lakes Conference play with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-16 victory over Wilmot Oct. 8 at home, and did so with a new lineup due to an injury.
“The Broncos did an outstanding job as a team,” Busalacchi said. “All the girls were able to touch the floor, and it was proof that with good communication and a desire to keep control on their side, a team can work through adversity.”
Gramza finished with 22 assists. Kelley Becker tallied 14 digs and Goodrich 11. Wilks finished with 10 kills and Alex Goodrich finished with nine. Frankie Pettit finished with two block kills.
Union Grove completed SLC regular season play Tuesday with a match at home against Elkhorn. The Broncos made it a memorable senior night with a 25-16, 25-16, 25-18 win.
The Broncos compete in the Southern Lakes Conference Tournament Saturday at Wilmot. Both Union Grove and Elkhorn each lost this season in SLC match play to Burlington and Westosha Central.
The Broncos earned the No. 3 seed in the tournament thanks to Tuesday’s victory over Elkhorn.
“We’re hoping to be able to make it to the championship game and win another tournament,” Busalacchi said.
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