Montello is 0-5 against Central Wisconsin Christian since September of 2016 but things could change on Saturday. The Hilltoppers will square off against the Crusaders at 9:00 a.m. Montello is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 18 games.
Montello will bounce into Saturday's contest after beating Randolph, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Hilltoppers came out on top against the Rockets by a score of 3-1 on Tuesday.
The match finished with set scores of 25-14, 22-25, 25-18, 25-3.
Rylan Harder was the offensive standout of the match as she had seven digs and six aces. What's more, she posted three assists, the most she's had over her last seven matchups.
Harder wasn't the only good servers: Montello was lethal from the service line and finished the match with 16 aces. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now served at least five aces in 14 consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Central Wisconsin Christian earned a 2-0 victory over Johnson Creek on Thursday.
Central Wisconsin Christian never let Johnson Creek on the board, but things got pretty close in the first set. The final score came out to 25-23, 25-13.
Montello's record is now 28-4. As for Central Wisconsin Christian, their record now sits at 18-6.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's match: Montello has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 9.1 aces per game. However, it's not like Central Wisconsin Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.7 aces. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Montello couldn't quite get it done against Central Wisconsin Christian when the teams last played back in October of 2024 as they fell 2-0. Can the Hilltoppers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.