Senior night sweep of AuGres highlights week

by Angie Asam–Staff Writer

The Rogers City Hurons varsity volleyball team improved to 9-0 in the North Star League with a sweep of AuGres at home Tuesday. The Hurons are now 28-8-1 overall and are ranked seventh in Division IV.

Before the match began, coach Jackie Quaine honored her three senior co-captains, Cassie Brege, Courtney Streich and Megan Quaine.

Megan Quaine and Cassidy Purgiel get set to return a serve in Tuesday's win over AuGres. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

“It has been a privilege to coach these three wonderful girls for the past two years. They are tremendous captains and leaders. Their determination and leadership has helped us this season. I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said coach Quaine. Coach Quaine then said a little about each of her seniors before giving them a chance to thank the people that helped mold them into the people they have become.

The Mariners then sang “Love Me Tender” to the seniors with their parents gathered around them.

 It got a bit emotional but when it was time to warm up, the Hurons turned it on and got ready for the match.

Rogers City started game one in serve receive and Streich made a nice pass and was rewarded as Brege set her the ball and she was able to place a tip for the first point of the match.

Junior Cassidy Purgiel then stepped to the service line and served two aces and scored another point to make it 4-0 before AuGres got on the board with a kill by Cassidy Boensch, their tall middle hitter. A service error by AuGres gave the Hurons the ball back and Megan Quaine served an ace before committing a service error to make it 6-2.

AuGres would continue to battle making the game close. With the game at 11-10 Streich got a big kill off the outstretched arms of Boensch and another kill to make it 13-10.  Purgiel then had an ace to make it 14-10 before Boensch was able to block junior Alexa Quaine, moved to the middle hitting position because of an injury to Jena Tulgestke.

Alexa Quaine powers a shot through the AuGres defense. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

With the score at 20-14 Alexa Quaine got a nice block and then stepped in to serve an ace. Sophomore Sarah Meredith then got a pair of kills to make it 24-14 before Alexa Quaine hit another ace to seal the game 25-14.

Game two started with Purgiel at the serving line and using four aces and a kill from Megan Quaine the Hurons built the lead to 6-0. Rogers City never really looked back as they led the entire match winning on a Purgiel ace by a score of 25-17.

IT WAS game three before the Hurons ever trailed the visiting Wolverines as they were down 0-3 before Streich notched a kill off the block and Purgiel hit an ace to make it 2-3. The team traded sideouts to make it 3-4 before Megan Quaine notched an ace to make it 4-4.

Streich then blocked Boensch and Megan Quaine had two more aces before another Streich kill to make it 8-4, from there Rogers City never looked back taking the final game 25-11.

Purgiel led the hitting attack with 7 kills and also added 12 aces. Streich and Meredith each had six kills. Streich added nine digs.  Megan Quaine, with an opportunity to play the front row on senior night as she is normally the teams libero had two kills, 13 digs and seven aces on the night. Alexa Quaine added 14 digs and Cassie Brege had 24 assists.

LAST THURSDAY the Hurons swept Atlanta 25-10, 25-19 and 25-9. Megan Quaine had 15 digs on the night. Cassie Brege had 25 assists and five aces. Purgiel had six aces and eight kills. Alexa Quaine had five aces and five kills. Jenna Kasubowski had five kills, Meredith had four kills and Autumn Idalski had eight digs and three aces.

“We pla

yed without Jena Tulgestke who has an injured hand and Megan Brege who injured her knee. Hopefully Jena will be back after homecoming week. We slid Alexa into the middle and made some other adjustments. The girls played well together despite the changes. Autumn Idalski came in off the bench and did a nice job passing along with Alexa, Megan Quaine and Courtney Streich,” said  coach Jackie Quaine.

IN JUNIOR varsity action Tuesday the Hurons won 25-17 and 25-14. Heather Hentkowski had six aces and Ericka Peacock had three aces. Kelly Ellenberger and Veronica Szczerowski each had two kils.

The Hurons host their final regular season home match today against Mio with the junior varsity match beginning at 6 p.m. They will be in Posen next Wednesday for the Presque Isle County Championships and will host the North Star League Tournament on Nov. 2.