With all but one player returning from last year's team that made history as the first Brookfield East girls volleyball team to win a conference title, the Spartans faced the challenging task of repeating in one of the state's toughest conferences.
The Spartans accomplished their goal, sweeping Menomonee Falls, 3-0, on Oct. 12 to earn their place in a three-way tie for the Greater Metro championship with Falls and Brookfield Central.
Each team finished 7-1 in league play, with Brookfield East's lone loss coming to Brookfield Central.
The three-way tie was created with the Spartans downing the Indians and the Lancers taking care of DSHA.
"It was a hard fought match by both teams," Brookfield East coach Chris Polowy said. "I give Falls a ton of credit. They too are fighting a slew of injuries and continued to push us.
"Our senior lead group was prepared and motivated to bring another conference title to Brookfield East."
The match was much closer than the 3-0 final indicated.
Brookfield East pulled out 30-28 wins in each of the first two sets, changing the direction of the match. The ninth-ranked Spartans then closed out the sweep of the sixth-ranked Indians with a 25-16 third-set victory.
Gretchen Bruhn led the Spartans in kills with 13, and Ella Mortensen added eight.
Victoria Berry finished with seven kills and 19 assists, Emma Kiekhofer had 17 assists, Makenna Berry had 15 digs and Emma Ralfs blocked four shots.
"This is a very special group of kids," Polowy said. "Their resilience and grit is something you don't see very often. Being down six or seven points in each of the first two sets and then winning, 30-28, is proof that this team never quits.
"Through adversity, this group continues to push forward with their eyes always on set on the goal."
Although last year's Brookfield East team obtained its goal of winning its first conference title, the Spartans fell one win shy of making the state tournament for the first time with a sectional-final loss to DSHA.
Brookfield East will host the sectional final this season, which would give the Spartans a big lift if they can get there.
Seeded second in its sectional, Brookfield East earned a first-round bye and will host either seventh-seeded Whitefish Bay or 10th-seeded Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen in a regional final on Oct. 21.
The Spartans would likely have to down third-seeded DSHA in the sectional semifinal and possibly top-seeded Brookfield Central in the sectional final in order to reach state.
"The win (over Falls) adds to the legacy they've built, which started in our junior program seven years ago," Polowy said. "With last year's first-ever conference title and now a repeat, this group will always be remembered at BEHS. Our focus is now set on another first, a trip to Green Bay (for state)."
