WWG 25-25-22-25-11 = 2
Windom 27-20-25-20-15 = 3
The Windom Eagle volleyball team was in for the long haul in Monday’s regular season finale.
After battling back-and-forth with Westbrook-Walnut Grove for nearly two hours, the Eagles rallied in the fifth and deciding set, capturing a 3-2 home court victory over the Chargers.
Windom came out strong, winning the opening set 27-25, but WWG answered for a 25-20 win in set two.
The rest of the match was back and forth, with few leads larger than five points the rest of the night. Windom pulled away late to win set three, but WWG forced a fifth set with a 25-20 win in set four.
In the final set, the Eagles’ offensive balance proved to be the key, as Windom seized momentum late for the 15-11 win.
Adison Hogan led the Eagles at the service line, going 15-of-16 with three aces. Anja Nielsen was 14-of-15 with two aces and Haidyn Sammons was 21-of-21 with an ace.
Addison Colbert led the Eagles’ balanced attack at the net with 12 kills. Hogan added 11. Ali Lund and Sadie Tjentland had eight kills each.
Lund finished with 22 set assists. Sammons added 21 digs.
RRC 32-20-20-25-15 = 3
SWC 30-25-25-17-11 = 2
Red Rock Central shook off a 2-1 deficit Monday night and rallied to force a deciding fifth set.
The Falcons then did something that hasn’t happened in a long time — ended Southwest Christian’s season in the pigtail round of the Section 3A playoffs.
The Falcons claimed the fifth set 15-11, earning a 3-2 victory on the Eagles’ home court in Edgerton.
A wild, entertaining opening set saw each team fight off set point before the Falcons finally closed out a 32-30 win.
The momentum was short-lived, though, as SWC won the next two sets by identical 25-20 scores.
In set four, the Falcons turned up the intensity from the service line, keeping the Eagles on the defensive. That led to a 25-17 win.
RRC then continued the momentum in the final set before closing out a 15-11 win.
Abby Evans went 22-of-22 serving with three aces in the win. Ally Linder also was 22-of-22 with two aces and Amelia Ubl went 19-of-19 with two aces.
Linder, Evans and Shylin Hagert each had 11 kills for the Falcons.
Natasha Erickson handed out 29 set assists. Ubl had 27 digs.
MLAC 18-16-28 = 0
MCW 25-25-25 = 3
Late momentum in each set proved to be the difference Monday, as Martin County West surged to a 3-0 victory over Mt. Lake Area-Comfrey in the Section 2A playoffs at Trimont.
“I think toward the end, there were some times we put the ball a little too close to the net,” MLAC Coach Patty Jack said. “That created some problems. But overall, the girls stayed in there and played really well. It just wasn’t our night.”
Each set was tight early, with the Wolverines shaking off early four-point deficits in the first and third sets to briefly take the lead.
But MCW was able to turn late side outs into momentum, putting each set away with a late scoring flurry.
Ellamae Peters led the Wolverines with three ace serves. Nadia Phommachan added one ace.
Ashlyn Pfeiffer and Danika Gohr each had six kills in the loss for the Wolverines. Kylie Phommachan added five kills. Pfeiffer added three solo blocks.
Nadia Phommachan had 18 set assists. Phithsada Phoumivong finished with 12 digs.
Next matches: Check for updates after each match.
Windom: vs. Luverne/RV winner, Oct. 28
MLAC: at MCW (Trimont), Oct. 20
RRC: at RTR (Tyler), Oct. 24
