The Climax-Fisher Knight Volleyball team played even with Stephen-Argyle before pulling away, defeating the Storm in four sets (25-15, 21-25, 25-14, 25-20) at the Fisher High School Gymnasium.
FIRST SET
The first set began with the first two points to the Storm. Isabelle Westman then delivered two consecutive kills to make it 4-1. The Storm made it 6-1 before a service error. The lead stayed at 4 until a couple Storm mistakes allowed the Knights to cut the lead to 2. Then, a Lucy Paulsrud kill tied it at 9. Another Paulsrud kill gave the Knights the lead, and the lead stayed at 1 until another Storm error made it 15-12 Knights. A Peyton Schroeder ace made it 17-12 Knights, and the lead stayed at 5 until Lucy Paulsrud added more power, and she delivered kills to make it 21-15 and 23-15. Stephen-Argyle then couldn’t keep it in the court, and the Knights took the first set 25-15, a set that was closer than the score describes. Climax-Fisher head coach Brenda Slyt described how her team looked out of the gate. “I really think our girls did a great job,” said Slyt. “I could tell theyed up and pumped from the very beginning, even during were really fir warmups.”
SECOND SET
At the start of set 2, Signe Svendsen started with a strike for the Storm, scoring a kill, a block and another kill to make it 3-0. The lead stayed at 3 until a Claire Erickson kill cut the lead to 5-4. Climax-Fisher then tied it at 5, and Erickson again made it 6-5 Knights. The lead then stayed at 1 until a Knights service error tied it at 8. Then, a Danika Motl ace made it 12-8 Knights. The Storm cut it to 12-11, and after a crazy long rally, it was 12 all. Then, two consecutive Knights errors made it 15-12 Storm. Climax-Fisher had multiple errors pile up, and Kinley Korynta stopped the bleeding at 17-13. The lead stayed at 4 until a Claire Erickson kill cut the lead to 2. The lead stayed there until an Isabelle Westman ace made it 21-17 Storm. Climax-Fisher fought, but it just wasn’t enough as Stephen Argyle takes the set 25-21, evening the match at a set apiece. “I was telling the girls that they need to go out there and fight for every single point” said Coach Slyt, “we needed to get them a little off balance on their side.”
THIRD SET
Kicking off the third set was the front row of the Knights, scoring the first two points. The lead then stayed at 2 until a crazy acrobatic play by Korynta allowed the Knights to go up 6-2, and then 8-2 after consecutive Storm mistakes. A Paulsrud kill made it 10-2, and more Storm errors made it 12-3. The lead stayed at 9 until the Storm cut it to 13-6, and then 13-8, but the Knights were able to keep the lead at 5. The Knights then made it 17-10, and at 18-10, Storm coach Kayla Smith called a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Storm scored the first two points before the Knights answered, and a Lucy Paulsrud kill made it 23-13. Paulsrud then put the set away with ace, giving the Knights a 25-14 win, and a 2-1 set advantage. Coach Slyt spoke of Paulsrud postgame. “Lucy is a very powerful kid, and has an incredible volleyball IQ,” said Slyt.
FOURTH SET
At the start of set 4, the Storm surged in front, taking a 4-1 lead off two Svendsen kills. The lead stayed at 3 until a Storm mistake made it 5-4 in their favor, then an Erickson kill tied it at 5. The set stayed tied until Climax-Fisher shifted into overdrive, geting kills from Korynta and an ace from Nesvig to go up 12-7. Then, an extremely powerful Paulsrud kill made it 14-8 Knights. Climax-Fisher could smell victory, and they contunied to push, extending the lead to 16-8, before Stephen-Argyle went on a mini run to cut it to 16-11. The Storm fought back to 17-13, but the Knights continued to capitalize on errors, taking a 21-15 lead. After trailing 24-15, the Storm rallied to make the score 24-20, but a Kinley Korynta kill iced it for the Knights, winning the set 25-20, and taking the match 3 sets to 1.
After the game, Coach Slyt spoke about facing Kittson County Central. “We gotta come in and play smart” said Slyt, “I think that our girls have it in us, and we need to go out there and be positive, and have some fun.” She also reiterated her team’s belief. “We believe we have something really special here.”
tephen-Argyle ends the season at 7-19. Climax-Fisher improves to 12-14 on the season and will play top-seeded Kittson County Central in Hallock on Wednesday at 7 PM. .
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
Stephen-Argyle | 15 | 25 | 14 | 20 |
Climax-Fisher | 25 | 21 | 25 | 25 |
For Climax-Fisher
Kills – Lucy Paulsrud 11, Claire Erickson 9
Blocks – none
Digs – Lucy Paulsrud 23
Assists- KInley Korynta 19, Anna Hesvig 10
Aces –Danika Modl 4
For Stephen-Argyle
Kills – Isabelle Westman 10, Signe Svendsen 7
Blocks – Signe Svendsen, Ayla Woinarowicz 1
Digs – Jocelyn Groven 18
Assists- Nora Osowski 14
Aces – Emily Marquis 3