Tigers win 9th straight regional title

By JASON JUNO

[email protected]

MERCER, Wis. - It took Mercer a little bit of time to get going Saturday night.

But once they kicked it in gear, they were celebrating their ninth straight WIAA regional championship in a hurry.

The No. 1 seeded Tigers rallied past No. 4 Mellen in the first set for a 25-18 win, won the next easily 25-8 and led the third 18-1 before closing it out for a 25-9 win.

"This is our ninth one in a row, it feels amazing," Mercer senior Jenny Klopatek said. "We had the jitters in the beginning since they took a set from us in the last conference game. ... But in the end, we definitely got them all out, played as a team and the fans were there to cheer us on."

Coach Robyn Schoeneman celebrated her 400th win as well before their attention turned to No. 2 Prentice, which comes to Mercer Thursday night for a 7 p.m. sectional semifinal.

Her 400th win went about as she expected it would.

"I knew they (the Granite Diggers) were going to come ready and they were going to give everything they got and they did in that first set. And I think we had a lot of nerves, we just had to settle in, take a set," she said. "I knew once we got into it and started playing our game, we would be in good shape. It only took us 16 points to start playing."

Experience was a factor in Mercer's favor. Trophy games are nothing new to them.

"I think they're a scrappy team, but I feel like we have been in this position before so many times and they're so young and so new to high-pressure games," Mercer senior outside hitter Eiley Schoeneman said.

Coach Schoeneman agreed.

"We didn't make mistakes at crucial times," she said. "And maybe that is our experience that we have that they didn't have. We just knew when to play within ourselves and when it was time to go after it. They really came through at the right time."

Klopatek led the Tigers with 17 kills and Schoeneman had nine. Schoeneman finished with a team-high 10 assists and Klopatek had four. Rylinn Rossi had four kills.

"It's been those three, Eiley, Rylinn and Jenny, all year, and they did it again today," coach Schoeneman said. "I couldn't be more proud of them. Everybody took their game up one more step."

Especially Klopatek at the net.

"Jenny was finding the openings on those tips, she was really beating them up, that was awesome," Schoeneman said.

They've done it while adjusting to the loss of Kaylee Powers just before the Mellen game late in the regular season.

"It's not very often that you can have an injury and then replace her with a 6-footer," Schoeneman said. "(Irene Moreno's) still learning and there's a lot to be learned. She's learning just do your job and don't' worry about anything else. She's starting to pick it up a little bit."

Schoeneman's first regional title win came over Mellen as well, when the streak started in 2016.

She said that's bittersweet because they're coached by her friend, Amanda LaRose, and this is her last regional win with this is her last season coaching.

"These past two seasons have been extra special, I think, because last year nobody expected us to do anything. It was just a season of great things unexpected," Schoeneman said. "This year, we did exactly what we were expected to do. The last two years were so special, it's been fun."

Eiley was a proud daughter after Robyn tallied her 400th win.

"I'm so happy for her, she deserves it and I'm just so proud of her," she said. "I'm very biased because she's my mom, but I feel like she has a great connection with everyone, she understands our needs and it's not just about volleyball, it's about the family aspect as well."

Klopatek was a proud player.

"Just her communicating with the team, the team bonding with her, she always puts the exercises together, she always participates with us," she said of what makes her a good coach. "She's always on our side and it means the world to us."

Now they want to get her win No. 401 Thursday night.

The Tigers (25-7) beat Prentice (22-12) in two five-set sectional semifinal thrillers in 2021 and 2022. Prentice didn't play Mercer last year in the tournament and they made it to state. The teams met in Prentice's tournament in early September this year and Prentice beat the Tigers 20-25, 25-20, 15-9.

"We were still very fresh and new. We were still learning our team's ins and outs. We were playing with new people at new positions. It was the first two sets of the season and we were right with them," Schoeneman said. "Yeah we lost to them, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle. I think if we play good defense and we just keep at it, one point at a time, we'll be competitive."

Prentice is led by all-state outside hitter Kali Heikkinen.

"She's smart," Schoeneman said. "She's kind of a one-woman show over there, though. If we can figure out a way to neutralize her, and if we hit, it'll keep them from getting her the ball. That's how we scored a lot of our points last time against them is that we hit so they couldn't hit back at us.

"We have a lot of balance. The three girls that can put the ball down and the supporting cast, everybody just works so well together and I think tonight that showed. If we can keep our nerves down and keep our composure, we'll be OK."

It's a matchup many have looked forward to.

"I'm excited," Eiley said. "It's the rematch I wanted all season, especially on home court. It's going to be awesome, it's going to be a fun game."

Mercer got the higher seed ahead of Prentice in a close vote by coaches with a better season trumping the head-to-head win by Prentice.

That gave Mercer the home game Thursday night against them.

"Jitters are going to come out first game, but it's on our home court, it's a plus for us," Klopatek said.