The Sacred Heart Eagle volleyball team dominated the first two sets and were able to hang on in the fourth set to defeat the Red Lake Falls Eagles in four sets (25-17, 25-23, 24-26, 25-19) at Robert Matzke Gymnasium at Lafayette High School.
Sacred Heart improves to 8-6, while Red Lake Falls drops to the same record, at 8-6.
FIRST SET
Kicking off the first set was each team getting a point off of an error. The teams then alternated points until great SH net play got them to a 6-2 lead. The lead then stayed at 4 until an Adley Vigness kill made it 10-3 SH. Out of an RLF timeout, they scored the next two points, but some RLF errors were capitalized by SH, thus making it 13-5. Then, SH continued to push, forcing more RLF errors and as a result were able to take a commanding 16-6 lead. RLF were able to cut the lead to 8, and the lead stayed there until two mishit SH kill attempts brought RLF back into it, now trailing 20-15. SH called a timeout, and proceeded to end the set on a 5-2 run, taking the first set 25-17.
SECOND SET
The second set began with a Lexi Lawrence kill. SH then continued their first set dominance with two more net points to make it 3-0. RLF then capitalized on mistakes to cut the lead to 4-3, and the lead stayed at 1 until RLF was able to tie the score at 8. No team took a lead greater than 1 until SH took an 11-9 lead. From there, SH got out in front 13-10, and then Shandi Nelson took over, registering 2 consecutive kills to put RLF down 1. After RLF tied it at 14, SH went on a 4-0 run with the help of two Lydia Riskey kills. SH then boosted the score to 20-15, and then after a RLF timeout, increased the lead to 23-16, warranting another RLF timeout. RLF then went on a 4-1 run to make it 24-20, and then 24-23, before an incredible Izzy Cwikla free ball hit the line, allowing SH to barely escape with a set win, at 25-23, taking a 2-0 set lead.
THIRD SET
At the start of the third set, the teams traded points until two straight RLF errors made it 3-1 SH. RLF then tied it at 4, then scored three more to make it 7-4. An Izzy Cwikla ace made it 7-6, and Cwikla’s defense allowed SH to go in front 8-7. The lead stayed at 1 until a miss by Elizabeth Lytle tied the score at 11. SH then capitalized on mistakes to make it 13-11, and the lead stayed at 2 until a Reese Chwialkowski ace made it 19-15 SH. RLF did their best to hang in the set, but it seemed as though they were overmatched throughout the night. That is, out of a timeout, RLF cut the lead to 21-18, and then the lead stayed at 3 until a beautiful Kylie Clipping ace tied it at 22. The set was then tied at 24, and then a Layna Schindler ace gave RLF a 26-24 set win, forcing a 4th set.
FOURTH SET
Jumping out ahead in the 4th set was RLF, scoring the first 3 points. At 4-2, a mistake by SH and a kill attempt that went long made it 6-2 RLF. After a SH timeout at 7-2, the lead stayed at 5 until a Lexi Lawrence kill cut the SH deficit to 2. SH then tied the score at 11, and it hovered around there until a Shandi Nelson kill made it 13-11 RLF. Then, SH scored the next 3 points to take a 14-13 lead. Then, more great SH net play made it 17-14. RLF did their best to hang with them, but the lead stayed at 3 until a Lexi Lawrence ace made it 20-15. After a RLF timeout at 21-15, they scored the first 2 points, but it just wasn’t enough as SH took the set 25-19, winning the match 3 sets to 1.
Sacred Heart head coach Emily Vonasek understood how much the win meant to her team. “We honestly really needed to play well…we’ve been a little bit down lately and just really needed that win to be quite honest with you.” Vonasek also praised their ability to play when things weren’t going their way. “We did a great job of talking out of system tonight…all the girls stepped in and really took charge, and they wanted the ball tonight,”
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Sacred Heart | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 |
Red Lake Falls | 17 | 23 | 26 | 19 |
For Red Lake Falls
Kills – Shandi Nelson 13, Elizabeth Lytle 10
Blocks – Shandi Nelson 3
Digs – Layna Shindler 31
Assists – Shandi Nelson 8, Kylie Klipping 7
Aces – Kylie Klipping, Shandi Nelson, Wendy Zenteno 1
For Sacred Heart
Kills- Lydia Riskey 16
Blocks – Finley Horken 1
Digs – Izzy Cwikla 22, Finley Horken 15
Assists – Finley Horken 40
Aces – Izzy Cwikla 3