Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CENTER POINT – Each season for a team is like a puzzle.

Regina spent the past several months assembling that puzzle exceedingly well.

Replacing the state’s kill leader the past two seasons in graduated senior Reese Naeve the Regals fit new players, into different positions while winning 29 matches and returning to a regional final.

The Regals just couldn’t quite slide the final piece into place to complete the puzzle on Wednesday.

Two-time defending state champion Denver overcame an opening set loss to down ninth-ranked Regina 16-25, 27-25, 25-20, 25-16 in the Class 2A, Region 8 title game at Center Point-Urbana High School.

“Lauren Hansen and Colby (Enders) have put so much into this and put the pieces together even if the pieces were a little scattered at the beginning of the season,” Regina senior libero Addison Bollier said. “We had a new team, new culture and new dynamic and coming into the season we didn’t really know what to expect and we didn’t know if we could click but I am really proud of us getting to this point and even though we didn’t get what we ultimately wanted I am so proud of this team and what we accomplished.”

Seventh-ranked Denver (26-14) got 16 kills from junior Aubrey Roethler and 14 kills from junior Adeana Murch on Wednesday while returning to the state tournament for the seventh consecutive season.

The Cyclones had their own puzzle to assemble this season after graduating 10 seniors, including five starters from last year’s 50-1 state title squad.

Denver had those pieces aligned perfectly on Wednesday.

“They played a really smart game,” Bollier said. “We had a game plan coming into it and they adjust to what we had in store really well so credit to them. I thought their middles were finding open spots on the court really well and unfortunately we couldn’t adjust to that as well.”

Regina was sharp early.

The Regals never trailed on their way to a 25-16 win in the opening set in which four different players had multiple kills.

Senior Lyla Chandler had seven of her match-high 22 kills in the opening-set win.

“We just had to calm down, there were a lot of nerves in that first set but the nerves did not seem to affect Regina, they are a great program, they are a great team, they were really well prepared,” Denver coach Phil McFee said. “We had some nerves that came with the territory but (our girls) fought back and they don’t shy away from anything they are in it for that competition.”

Regina led 22-16 in the second set when Denver started its late-match surge.

The Cyclones rattled off the next seven points and scored 11 of the final 14 points in a 27-25 second-set win that evened the match and swung the momentum.

“I think we completely controlled the pace in set one and I think Colby and I both talked about we had so much energy we were either going to sweep them in three or we were going to run out of gas and we ran out of gas,” Regina coach Lauren Hansen said.

Regina had another opportunity to seize momentum in the third, building a 17-13 lead but Denver again rallied.

The Cyclones scored second consecutive points to take a 20-17 lead it would never give up, closing the third set on a 12-3 run.

“I think we kind of just took our foot off the gas,” Regina senior setter Nora Wilhelm said. “Their middle was open a lot and I think we didn’t expect that as much, they did a great job of finding the middle and finding our open spots.”

After Denver scored the first six points of the fourth set Regina rallied to tie the match at six but the Cyclones went on a 7-1 run to take a 13-7 lead and never let Regina get closer than four the rest of the set.

“They quickened up everything they were doing,” Hansen said. “They were tempo passing, they were running their middle, they kept cutting back into one which we struggled with so I think they figured out their adjustments and they executed flawlessly.”

Six different Cyclones had at least five kills as MyaHerrmann had eight kills, Mackenzie McEwan had seven and Ayrielle Phelps had six.

Regina was led by Chandler with 22 kills while sophomore Jada Wiltz had 11 and Adalee Klein and freshman Lexi Gaffey each had six.

Regina (29-16) had a string of two consecutive state tournament appearances end but the Regals were proud of the way they put their puzzle together this season with so many new pieces.

“I don’t think there are any words to explain this season,” Wilhelm said. “This group of seniors and our freshman and sophomores worked so hard. We overcame so much throughout the year and I am so proud of us for making it this far and playing as well as we did tonight.”

Denver                                    16  27  25  25 

Regina                                    25  25  20  16

Denver (Kills-aces-blocks)

Lydia Gleason 5-0-1, Mackenzie McEwan 7-3-0, Aubrey Roethler 16-1-0, Addie Brauman 0-1-0, Ayriella Phelps 6-0-1, Mya Herrmann 8-0-4, Adeana Murch 14-1-1, Lucy Murch 0-1-0, Totals 56-7-7.

Assists – Adeana Murch 24, Brehanna Murch 17, Lucy Murch 3, Addie Brauman 2

Regina (Kills-aces-blocks)

Kylie Mattoon 0-1-0, Lexi Gaffey 6-3-0, Adalee Klein 6-0-2, Jada Wiltz 11-1-0, Addison Bollier 0-1-0, Lyla Chandler 22-0-1, Nora Wilhelm 1-2-2, Leah Sickels 2-0-0, Totals 48-7-5.

Assists – Nora Wilhelm 31, Addison Bollier 11

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