The Crookston Pirate Volleyball team led 2-1, but the Red Lake County Central Mustangs won the fourth and fifth set to win the match 3-2 (29-27, 21-25, 14-25, 25-20, 15-5 in Plummer.
Crookston jumped out to a 3-1 lead after a Katelynn Genereux ace, but the teams went back and forth the rest of the way with 18 ties in the set. The last tie was at 26-26 when Julia Bernstein had back-to-back kills for a 29-27 victory. “I think we came out a little slow at the start,” said Pirate Coach Ashley Stopa. “I didn’t think it was going to go as far as it did, but the girls kept fighting and we were aggressive and Kylie (Solheim) was running all over to get the ball.”
In the second set, Crookston had a great start scoring the first five points taking advantage of three RLCC errors and a Rachel Hefta kill and a Dani Boyle ace for a 5-0 lead. Crookston led 16-15 when they scored four straight points, including back-to-back Boyle aces. RLCC answered with three service aces and a few points later Crookston’s lead was 22-21. The Pirates had back-to-back kills from Hailey Seaver and RLCC had a pass go into the net and Crookston won the set 25-21 to tie the match at 1-1. “Set two isn’t usually our thing,” said Coach Stopa. “We were ready to play in set two. Kylie moved the ball around pretty well tonight and Hailey had some big kills.”
Crookston jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the third set behind three Rachel Hefta kills. Emma Boll added a couple aces later in the set and the Pirates built a 10-5 lead. Hefta had eight kills total in the set and the Pirates led 23-14. Kasey Cwikla served an ace and Sydney Anderson had a block for a kill and Crookston won 25-14 to take a 2-1 lead. “The girls were super excited for the set,” said Coach Stopa. “When the girls are fired up and excited, we usually do well.”
RLCC bounced back in the fourth set and after eight ties (3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, and 15) Crookston scored three points for an 18-15 lead. RLCC battled back to tie the set at 19 and the Pirates hit two attacks out of bounds, had an error on the serve receive and then hit the ball into the net and the Mustangs led 23-19. RLCC was called for two hits before they had a kill from Kia Bachand and the set-winning kill from Jenna Pahlen for a 25-20 victory to tie the match at 2-2, forcing a fifth set. “They did a good job of pushing at the end of the set,” said Coach Stopa.
RLCC started the fifth set with a kill and back-to-back aces from Pahlen for a 3-0 lead. Crookston scored three points in a row behind two Hefta kills for a 3-3 tie, but RLCC dominated the rest of the way for a 15-5 victory to win the match 3-2. “The girls played good. We had some stand out performances, but we got going back and forth, but mentally we couldn’t hang on at the end,” said Coach Stopa. “I think we got tired and didn’t have enough left at the end of the match and we couldn’t make it happen.”
Crookston drops to 2-8 on the year and will host the Crookston Tournament on Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. Red Lake County Central improves to 5-4 in matches this season.
J.V. – RLCC won 2-0 C Squad – Crookston won 2-1
Hailey Seaver taps the ball over the net Kylie Solheim chases down the ball
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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CROOKSTON |
27 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 5 |
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Red Lake Co. Central |
29 | 21 | 14 | 25 | 15 |
Kasey Cwikla eyes down the ball on the serve
For Crookston
Kills – Rachel Hefta – 22, Hailey Seaver – 11
Blocks – Hailey Seaver 2, Sydney Anderson – 1
Assists – Kylie Solheim – 33
Digs – Dani Boyle – 16, Kylie Solheim – 14
Aces – Dani Boyle – 4, Emma Boll – 3
For Red Lake County Central
Kills – Julia Bernstein – 25, Kia Bachand – 6
Blocks – Jenna Pahlen – 6, Julia Bernstein – 3
Assists – Tanisha Srnsky – 33
Aces – Jenna Pahlen – 2, Kia Bachand – 1
