RED LAKE FALLS VOLLEYBALL BEATS SACRED HEART IN FOUR SETS THANKS TO STRONG HITTING

It was a battle of Eagles on Thursday night as the Red Lake Falls Eagles Volleyball team hosted the Sacred Heart Eagles from Lafayette High School. Red Lake Falls overpowered Sacred Heart and came from behind multiple times to win the match in four sets (25-23, 16-25, 25-23, 25-17).

First Set
The first set was a tight one right from the start with Sacred Heart getting the first three points to take a 3-0 lead, but Red Lake Falls would get five of the next seven points to tie the opening set at 5-5. Sacred Heart would maintain a small lead for the majority of the opening set, and after a kill from Emma Anvinson, and a block from Ava Knudson on back-to-back points, they held a 16-12 lead and would force a Red Lake Falls timeout. Sacred Heart would score three straight points off the timeout as Avery Horken started to heat up, but Red Lake Falls wouldn’t go away. Red Lake Falls would score three of the next four points and Gabby Casavan would start to heat up as well for Red Lake Falls. The run would be halted shortly with back-to-back points by Sacred Heart for a 22-15 lead, but four straight points from Red Lake Falls including two more kills from Casavan would force a Sacred Heart timeout with a 22-19 lead. Red Lake Falls would score three straight off the timeout extending their run to 7-0 and tying the match at 22-22. After a service error gave Sacred Heart the lead back, Gabby Casavan would record another kill to tie the set once more 23-23. After another point for Red Lake Falls, they would watch a Sacred Heart kill sail wide and out, giving them a comeback 25-23 opening set win to take a 1-0 lead in the match. Gabby Casavan led the way for Red Lake Falls with 7 kills. 

Second Set
The Second set also started out tight with Red Lake Falls taking a slight lead at 3-2 thanks to two kills from Shandi Nelson. Sacred Heart would calm down and much like set one take a commanding lead 13-6 to force a Red Lake Falls timeout. The run was highlighted with a couple kill from Avery Horken and capped off two aces, one from Audrey Zavoral, and one from Finley Horken. Red Lake Falls would struggle to get any closer, and after a few small runs from both teams, an Ella Adolphson ace for Sacred Heart gave them a 19-10 lead and would force Red Lake Falls to use their last timeout of the set. Red Lake Falls would never get the deficit below seven points the rest of the set, and Sacred Heart would finish the job this time with a 25-16 win to tie the match at 1-1.

Third Set
In the third set, Red Lake Falls would score the first two points, but Sacred Heart would take advantage of a few Red Lake Falls mistakes and pull in front 3-2. The two teams traded points for a bit before Red Lake Falls would go on a massive run to take a lead late in the fourth set. Trailing 12-8, Red Lake Falls would go on an 11-3 run to take a 19-15 lead. Highlighting the run was great play by Lexi Swendra with two kills, and an ace from Brea Derosier to cap it off. Red Lake Falls also took advantage of some Sacred Heart mistakes. Sacred Heart would get three of the next four points including a block by Audrey Zavoral to pull back within two points at 20-18. Red Lake Falls would get a point after that, and keep at least a two-point lead until back-to-back points by Sacred Heart would tie the set at 23-23. Gabby Casavan would continue her monster night with a big kill to give Red Lake Falls a set point in front 24-23. Sacred Heart would have a couple of chances during the point to tie the set, but could not execute, and Red Lake Falls would finish off the set with an exciting 25-23 win to take a 2-1 lead with a chance to win the match in the fourth set.

Fourth Set
The fourth set was extremely even early on with the teams taking advantage of some mistakes, and the set was tied 4-4. Sacred Heart would get back-to-back points on a kill from Avery Horken, and an ace from Ella Adolphson to take a 6-4 lead. Sacred Heart would keep a slime lead before 6 straight Red Lake Falls points would put them in front 13-11 and force a Sacred Heart timeout. Freshman Shandi Nelson and senior Gabby Casavan once again led the charge to help Red Lake Falls pull in front. Casavan and Nelson continued to get kill after kill and Sacred Heart would be forced to use their last timeout trailing 17-13. Red Lake Falls continued to pull away and Sacred Heart never got the match closer losing the fourth set 25-17 and the match in the process. Red Lake Falls ended the match with a Gabby Casavan kill to get the big victory.

Red Lake Falls improves to 10-5 on the season with the win. Sacred Heart drops to 7-4-2.

FOR RLF COACH NIKKI GULLINGSRUD’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW

 

	1	2	3	4
Sacred Heart	23	25	23	17
Red Lake Falls	25	16	25	25