Elgin/Pope John is 10-0 against Niobrara/Verdigre since October of 2019, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The Elgin/Pope John Wolfpack will stay at home for another game and welcome the Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars at 4:30 p.m.
Elgin/Pope John is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Battle Creek just ended the team's seven-game winning streak on Thursday. They fell 2-0 to the Braves.
While Elgin/Pope John ultimately came up short, they really made Battle Creek work, particularly in the second set. The final score came out to 25-11, 27-25.
Elgin/Pope John's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Kate Furstenau, who had nine digs and three aces, and Elizabeth Moser, who had six digs and 13 assists. That's the most aces Furstenau has posted since back in November of 2023.
Meanwhile, Niobrara/Verdigre hadn't done well against Wausa recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Niobrara/Verdigre came out on top against Wausa by a score of 3-1. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Cougars as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Niobrara/Verdigre had a slow start but a hot finish: after dropping the first set, they turned around to win the next three. The match finished with set scores of 22-25, 25-22, 25-13, 26-24.
Elgin/Pope John's loss dropped their record down to 16-3. As for Niobrara/Verdigre, their victory ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-11.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Monday's contest: Elgin/Pope John has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 5.6 aces per game. However, it's not like Niobrara/Verdigre struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.6. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Elgin/Pope John beat Niobrara/Verdigre 2-0 in their previous matchup back in September. Will Elgin/Pope John repeat their success, or does Niobrara/Verdigre have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
