Lodi senior Taylor Ripp sends a kill past a Poynette blocker during a Capitol Conference game on March 17. Ripp and the Blue Devils’ season was brought to end this past week due to the team going into a COVID-19 induced quarantine.
The pain of having a season end isn’t foreign to sports.
An added wrinkle this year has been the aspect of COVID-19 playing a hand in cutting teams’ respective campaigns to an abrupt halt, rather than the outcome of an actual game.
The Lodi prep volleyball team joined the ranks of those closing out their season without an added tally in the loss column. According to Lodi athletic director Sue Meffert, the Blue Devils have been forced to shut down for the rest of the season due to a COVID-19 induced quarantine.
The Blue Devils last played on March 23 against Columbus, suffering a 25-23, 25-17, 25-20 sweep at the hands of the Cardinals. Lodi, whose final games of the season against New Glarus, Wisconsin Heights and Poynette, ends the season with a 4-4 record, including 4-3 in Capitol Conference play.
Along with the regular season, the Blue Devils will be unable to compete in the WIAA’s alternate fall postseason. Lodi, which slotted into a Division 1 regional with DeForest, Middleton and Waunakee, will not have enough practices in to be able to compete before the regional tournament on April 10, according to Meffert.


Columbus’ Alise Hayes

Columbus’ Mikenna Boettcher

Columbus senior libero Hannah Fox notched her 1,000th career kill during Tuesday’s road win over Lodi.

Columbus gives senior libero Hannah Fox (left) a hand after she notched her 1,000th career kill during the first set of Tuesday’s win at Lodi.

Lodi’s Hope Hesselberg sets up Samantha Klann during Tuesday’s home match against Columbus.

Lodi’s Hope Hesselberg

Lodi’s Hope Hesselberg

Lodi’s Holly Jelinek

Columbus’ Jordan Link hits toward the block of Lodi’s Samantha Klann (15) and Hope Hesselberg during Tuesday’s match at Lodi High School.

Columbus’ Molly Kahl

Lodi’s Samantha Klann

Columbus’ Jordan Link

The Lodi volleyball team celebrates a point during Tuesday’s home loss to Columbus.

Columbus’ Sydney Maxwell

Columbus’ Alise Hayes and Lodi’s Hope Hesselberg

Columbus’ Peyton Priem

Columbus’ Taylor Raley

Lodi’s Taylor Ripp

Lodi’s Taylor Ripp

Columbus’ Taylor Raley

Columbus’ Taylor Raley

Columbus’ Jordan Link hits toward the block of Lodi’s Samantha Klann (15) and Paige Walzer during Tuesday’s match at Lodi High School.
Be the first to comment