SACRED HEART EDGES CROOKSTON VOLLEYBALL IN FOUR SETS

The Crookston Pirate Volleyball team played very good volleyball, but the Sacred Heart Eagles were a little better as the Eagles won the match 3-1 (25-14, 19-25, 25-21, 25-22).

First Set
After alternating the first four points of the match, the Eagles set the tone early on. They scored the next six points and after Crookston got one back, Sacred Heart scored the next nine points to complete a 15-1 run. It was a full team effort that was led by four kills from Grace Vonesh and great serving from Grace Miller. Crookston worked to cut into the large deficit getting kills from Mallorie Sundeen, Ally Perreault, and Rylee Solheim, but Sacred Heart was too strong in the first set winning 25-14. “We are still working on lineups. We haven’t had a consistent lineup this year yet and I think the way the girls have adjusted to the changes is all you can ask for from a team,” said Eagles Head Coach Emily Vonasek. “Every coach’s goal is to peak at the end of the season and we build to that all year.”

Second Set
Again, the teams alternated the first four points before Sacred Heart went on an 8-3 run. Emma Anvinson, Avery Horken, and Vonesh led the way for Sacred Heart on the run. Crookston was able to hold it there splitting the next eight points before they put together a run of their own. Overall, an 11-2 run that was finished off with eight straight points gave Crookston their first lead off the set since it was 1-0. “You could see the girls get comfortable during the run and with the lead and they looked confident,” explained Coach Engelstad. With Breanna Kressin converting on serve after serve, Sundeen and Perreault were able to dominate at the net to propel them back in front 20-16. The Pirates did not falter as they snuck a couple of taps over for points completing the 25-19 set victory. “Our serving was a lot better,” said Coach Engelstad. “We talked about that in between sets and said let’s make them mess up and put it on them.”

Third Set
An extremely well-played third set started off with the teams tied at 1, 2, and 3 before Sacred Heart had a mini 3-0 run. Crookston worked back into a tie at 7-7 and then turned on the jets. A quick 6-0 run highlighted by two Mallorie Sundeen first-hit kills forced Sacred Heart into a timeout. Then after an Anna Funk ace and Sundeen kill, Sacred Heart quickly used their second timeout trying to find a way to halt the Pirates run. “Things were going downhill quickly and we just had to take a breath,” explained Coach Vonasek. The second timeout seemed to work as the Eagles started to push back and eventually tied the set back up at 19-19 and took the lead a point later. “I was extremely proud of my team for not giving up and continuing to fight,” emphasized Coach Vonasek. “It was a huge turning point.” Both sides were diving all over the floor, coming up with clutch dig after clutch dig in what was tough, well-played volleyball on both sides. Once again, Grace Vonesh led the way with three more kills, and Grace Miller added two more kills during the comeback. Sacred Heart finished the set with five of the last six points to win 25-21. “I think we had our share of ups and downs and a lot of momentum swings,” explained Coach Vonasek.

Fourth Set
As they have done well over the past three matches, the Pirates jumped out to another quick lead in the set with three straight points. However, they could not find a way to extend that lead farther with the teams finding themselves deadlocked at 3, 4, 8, and 10 over the first 20 points of the set. Vonesh again was the leading force for Sacred Heart earning three blocks in the first eight Eagles points in the set. “Grace was big in the middle and she came to play tonight,” added Coach Vonasek. “She did some things strategically that she saw, and just worked to keep it away from their fabulous libero [Breanna Kressin] and that was so important for us to find those spots.” As much as Sacred Heart looked to extend their leads past three points, Crookston had an answer to keep them within striking distance. As it was all night for the Pirates, a balanced attack led by Sundeen and Perreault, kept them in it. “I think from the first match we showed we are a well-rounded team and tonight was well-rounded as well,” added Coach Engelstad. Sacred Heart did extend their lead to 21-16 behind three Avery Horken kills, but Crookston still would not go away. Libby Salentine added a couple of points on well-placed second hits to bring Crookston within a 23-22 score. Sacred Heart made the final push for the last two points of the set to win the set 25-22. Despite the loss, Crookston can look at this match as a positive according to Coach Engelstad, “I think the girls are pleased with themselves, and I know I am really pleased with how we played… we really needed that tonight.”

Crookston falls to 1-4 this season and travels to Thief River Falls on Tuesday. “I think this is the best we have played all season and if we keep going like this we are going to pull out some W’s,” said Pirates Head Coach Katie Engelstad.
Sacred Heart improves to 2-2 this year. They will play at Fertile-Beltrami on Tuesday.

	1	2	3	4
Crookston	14	25	21	22
Sacred Heart	25	19	25	25