Fremont outlasts Whitehall in five-set district volleyball semifinal thriller

Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark

WHITEHALL — Fremont’s volleyball team has played at a high level for most of the 2023 season. Whitehall picked up its game in the last month.

What resulted when the teams squared off Wednesday night was a back-and-forth Division 2 district semifinal that had all the drama in what you’d hope to see in a championship match.

Fremont outlasted Whitehall in a thriller as the teams alternated set wins before the visiting Packers clinched the victory by a 15-12 tally in the decisive fifth game.

Fremont won the first set 25-19 and third set 25-22. Whitehall won the second set 25-23 and fourth set 25-15.

With the win, Fremont (34-15-1) will be vying for a second-straight district title as it takes on Oakridge (19-17-1) in the finals at 7 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 2, 2023) at Whitehall. Oakridge swept Orchard View in the other district semifinal.

Whitehall closes its season with a 17-27 record.

Here are more details and notables from the match:

• Fremont junior Mia Clemence totaled 19 kills and three aces.
• Fremont senior Kendall Barnhart had 16 kills, 18 digs, and four aces.
• Fremont sophomore Brynna Barnhart contributed 26 assists and two blocks.
• Fremont senior Baylah Parker had 20 digs.
• Fremont senior Lily VandenBerg finished with 16 assists and three aces.
• Fremont seniors Kenzie Gugins and Avery Christoffersen added nine digs apiece.
• Fremont junior Averi Zimmer notched three blocks.
• Whitehall senior Kayla Mulder totaled 21 kills and two blocks.
• Whitehall senior Arianna Black had 12 kills, five aces, and two blocks.
• Whitehall junior Sidney Shepherd finished with 45 assists, nine kills, and three aces.
• Whitehall juniors Brianna Bentz and Bella Fogus chipped in three and two blocks, respectively.