NEW HOLSTEIN, Wis. — The Niagara Lady Badgers volleyball team competed in a large round-robin style tournament on Saturday at New Holstein High School. In playing five teams and 11 sets of competition, Niagara went 5-6 on the day.

Niagara defeated Oshkosh North, 2-0 (25-7, 25-17) and Milwaukee Excellence Charter, 2-0 (25-7, 25-4). The Badgers fell to Wrightstown, 0-2 (19-25, 16-25), Pulaski, 1-2 (18-25, 25-17, 12–15) and to host New Holstein, 0-2 (16-25, 19-25).

“My team was fortunate to play some great competition. Our record does not do justice to the way this team played,” said Niagara head coach Carol St. Arnauld.

The highlight of the tournament was going three sets with Pulaski, an aggressive Division I team who won the event.

“My girls gave everything they had in that match and in the end, lost by a narrow margin of 12-15 in the final set. When a Division IV team can take a set and nearly take a match from a Division I team like Pulaski, that speaks volumes,” St. Arnauld said.

Niagara returns to Marinette-Oconto Conference play tonight as they travel to Gillett.

“We were missing starter Isabel Jacobs, but the girls adjusted well with this last-minute change,” St. Arnauld said. “I’m proud of the effort of my team. They stepped up and played with a lot of heart and more importantly, they played up to their potential.”

Bailey Pearson led the team with 34 kills, while Morgan Borchardt followed with 17 kills, 22 digs, 38 assists and 11 service aces. Other team leaders included Erin Lukowicz with 11 service aces, Mallory Sanicki with 3 blocks and 15 kills and Abby Wells with 32 digs.

Pearson also recorded 10 aces and Emma Brasure added 7 aces, along with 15 digs.