The East Grand Forks Green Wave battled and never gave up, but the Barnesville Trojans used their tremendous net play to win the Section 8AA Volleyball championship 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 28-30, 25-16) at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School in Glyndon.
FIRST SET-
Barnesville started the match by scoring the first three points behind two kills by Emily Smith. EGF bounced back and scored three straight points behind an Alison Kovar kill and an Ellie Marcott ace, and the set was tied at 3-3. Barnesville used their impressive and power net play and hitters to build an 11-5 lead forcing the Green Wave to call a time-out.
After the timeout, EGF went on a 6-1 run behind outstanding net play from McKaylee Fitzpatrick with a block for a kill and another kill, and the Green Wave trailed 12-11. Barnesville had a 16-14 lead late in the set when they finished on a 9-3 run to win 25-17 to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
SET TWO –
Barnesville came out strong in the second set by taking a 6-1 lead with a couple of kills, an ace, and several attack errors on EGF. The Green Wave responded after a big kill from Addison Kujawa to stop the run. The teams exchanged points, and Barnesville led 13-11 when they went on a 4-0 run to open the lead back up to 17-11. Barnesville kept the lead the rest of the set and won 25-21.
SET THREE –
The start of the third set was a carbon copy of the second as Barnesville took a 6-1 lead, and Kujawa stopped the run with a kill. East Grand Forks continued to roll as they tied the set at 7-7 after Barnesville was called for four hits. The teams were tied at 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, and 19 when Barnesville had a 24-22 lead and was serving for match point. East Grand Forks responded with back-to-back kills from Kujawa to tie the set at 24. The teams were tied again at 25, 26, 27, and 28!!! East Grand Forks’ Hayli Robertson came up with a big kill for a 29-28 lead, and then the Wave won the set with a service ace for a 30-28 victory, forcing a fourth set.
SET FOUR
Barnesville came out strong in the fourth set and took a 9-2 lead behind their dominating net play. The run was stopped when Kujawa had another kill to get within 9-3. Barnesville answered with four big kills from Emily Riddle, mixed with other kills and EGF errors; the Trojans led 17-5. EGF went on a 5-1 run behind three kills from McKaylee Fitzpatrick to get within an 18-10 deficit. Barnesville continued to keep their lead and took a 24-14 lead, and was serving for match-point. EGF’s Elle Oberg served an ace, and Elle Marcott followed with a kill to get within a 24-16 deficit, but Barnesville went to their big hitter, Emily Riddle, who hammered the match-winning kill for a 25-16 victory to win the match 25-16.
East Grand Forks ends the season with a 17-13 record and will say goodbye to the following seniors – Claire Beck, Elle Oberg, Maddie Folden, Mya Garrett, Rachele Neil, Tatum Spokely, Hayli Robertson, and Brooke Kovar.
Barnesville improves to 20-9 on the year and will advance to the State Class AA state volleyball tournament next week at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul.
COACH PAULA DEVINE’S COMMENTS ARE BELOW
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East Grand Forks
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Barnesville
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For East Grand Forks –
Kills – Addison Kujawa – 19, McKaylee Fitzpatrick – 12, Elle Marcott – 8
Blocks – Hayli Robertson – 4, McKaylee Fitzpatrick – 3
Assists – Tatum Spokely – 42
Digs – Alison Kovar – 42
Aces – Claire Beck – 3, Tatum Spokely – 2
For Barnesville –
Kills – Emily Riddle – 22, Emily Smith – 11
Blocks – Emily Riddle – 4, Belle Peterson – 3
Assists – Rumely Biewer – 42
Aces – Emily Smith – 2
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