Despite record, Wauwatosa West girls volleyball team had plenty of highlights

Wauwatosa West girls volleyball co-coaches Kelly Dwyer and Jerry Lahmann both found plenty of highlights in the Trojans' just completed 2012 season.

Tosa West finished with an overall record of 18-20, finishing fifth in the Woodland West Division behind Pius XI, Greendale, New Berlin West and New Berlin Eisenhower.

They were 2-6 in conference overall, finishing ninth, at 1-4 in the West Division. They also went 1-2 in the crossover matches against Greenfield, Whitnall and Shorewood.

Dwyer felt that winning the Silver Brackets in both the Milwaukee Lutheran Tournament and the Arrowhead Tournament led the list of season highlights as well as a third-place in the Shorewood Tournament.

"(Matches) that stick out in my mind was when we beat Shorewood at Shorewood during conference play," Dwyer said. "Earlier in the year we lost to them twice during a tournament.

"Another (match) that sticks out - even though we lost - was the Tosa East (match). I just loved the way the girls battled back after losing the first two games; we just came up a little short in the end."

Lahmann was pleased the Trojans were competitive despite a rugged schedule.

"We played in a tough Woodland West Division and played against a number of tough teams in our tournaments," Lahmann said. "Though our record was in the .500 range, we played competitive volleyball in all but a few matches."

The team did improve as the season went on, Lahmann pointed out.

"We were pleased with the progress we made with two first-year sophomore setters, two first-year sophomore hitters and a sophomore libero," he said. "With the experience such a young team gained this year, coupled with hard work and dedication during this off-season, we are looking for huge strides for the program in the near future."

The Trojans' team award winners were Andrea Hafemeister (MVP Award), Sarah Mraz and Alantra Wright (Most Improved Players), Emily Schaefer (Hustle Award) and Jillian Ditscheit and Ellen Restyanszki (Coaches' Award).

Four Tosa West players earned all-Woodland Conference honors.

Elise Ditscheit was named to the second team and Hafemeister, Jillian Ditscheit and Restyanszki were honorable mention.

Tosa West will lose four seniors - Hafemeister, Jillian Ditscheit, Restyanszki and Sammi Schaaf.

"I look forward to next year but will miss our seniors from this year," Dwyer said. "Two of them (Jillian Ditscheit/Hafemeister) were three-year varsity players.

"Coaching a player for three years or more is a long time and I enjoyed every minute of it. I had a blast with this year's team, a great group of girls, that with hard work and dedication in the off-season will improve immensely for next year."