Wedel helps Cards soar

NEW LONDON - Carly Wedel found out she was named a captain this weekend, following a tournament where her Willmar Cardinals went 2-2 and challenged for third place against some of the top teams in the state.

Her first act as captain: dominate.

The senior setter racked up 44 set assists and slammed home eight kills with seven digs and three ace blocks in a 3-1 win against New London-Spicer.

The Cardinals won 25-15, 25-27, 25-12, 25-19.

"She's been great the last few matches," said Willmar head coach Traci Grussing. "She's doing everything for us. She's getting a lot of digs, a lot of good serves. She's just an all-around good player."

Wedel certainly wasn't alone, though.

Eighth-grade hitter Sydney Schnichels led the Cardinals with 12 kills and Abby Stark added three ace serves and a team-high 27 digs. Grace Marti finished with 11 kills and Sydney Olson tacked on 10 kills.

The Wildcats battled for a second-set victory and had the Cardinals on the ropes in fourth set but Willmar persevered for the four-set match.

The aggressive Willmar attack put the NLS defense scrambling and the Wildcats held their own. Four Wildcats finished with double digit digs, including Ashton Engelke and her team-high 16.

Willmar 3,

NLS 1

Willmar 25 25 25 25

NLS 15 27 12 19

Willmar

Serving (aces): Abby Stark 3, Caitlin Ogdahl 2, Carly Wedel 3, Lydia Larson 1, Abby Teisinger 1 ... Set assists: Wedel 44, Larson 1, Stark 3 ... Hitting (kills): Wedel 8, Ogdahl 8, Sydney Olson 10, Grace Marti 11, Regan Bos 2, Teisinger 2, Stark 1, Sydney Schnichels 12 ... Blocking (aces): Wedel 3, Ogdahl 1, Olson 3, Marti 6, Schnichels 1, Sophie Kobienia 1 ... Digs (5 or more): Stark 27, Slagter 6, Ogdahl 8, Wedel 7, Olson 6

NLS

Serving (aces): Ashton Engelke 2, Mya Krause 2, Emily Novak 1, Hunter Paffrath 1 ... Set assists: Paffrath 11, Presley Arndt-Callenius 8, Emma Hanson 1 ... Hitting (kills): Ashlyn Olson 8, Kendra Bagley 6, Aleah Zieske 4, Engelke 3, Ava Kramer 2, Hanson 1, Arndt-Callenius 1 ... Blocking (aces): Kramer 5, Miah Larson 4, Bagley 2, Zieske 1, Engelke 1 ... Digs (5 or more): Engelke 16, Novak 10, Krause 10, Arndt-Callenius 10, Paffrath 9

1/5: Willmar celebrates a point in Tuesday's win against New London-Spicer at New London-Spicer High School. Jake Schultz / Tribune

2/5: Willmar's Caitlin Ogdahl saves a shot in Tuesday's match against New London-Spicer at New London-Spicer High School. Jake Schultz / Tribune

3/5: New London-Spicer's Presley Arndt-Callenius sets a ball in Tuesday's match against Willmar at New London-Spicer High School. Jake Schultz / Tribune

4/5: Willmar's Carly Wedel sets a ball in Tuesday's match against New London-Spicer at New London-Spicer High School. Jake Schultz / Tribune

5/5: New London-Spicer's Ashlyn Olson fires a ball past a Willmar defense in Tuesday's match at New London-Spicer High School. Jake Schultz / Tribune