The Roseau Rams had an easy time last night in a Section 8AA first-round game in a win over Bagley while the Crookston Pirates won a tough 3-1 opening playoff win over Thief River Falls. The Rams used their versatility to sweep a 3-0 win in a Section quarterfinal 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 at the Roseau High School.
Game 1
Crookston took a 2-0 lead for the Pirates after a couple Roseau miscues and the Pirates Rachel Hefta (Senior) continued where she left off last night with a couple kills and a 4-1 Pirate lead. Roseau ‘s Katie Borowicz served five straight points to give the Rams a 6-4 lead before a Roseau hit into the net stopped that run and Crookston trailed 6-5. Roseau’s ‘other’ Borowicz, outstanding senior Kacie slammed a couple kills for more points and an 8-5 lead. The Pirates Hailey Seaver (Senior) got a nice set and blasted one for a point but Katie Borowicz right back and only 5’5 but way over the net for a point. Roseau’s Kayla Santal got into the mix with two hits for points and widen the Roseau lead to 13-6. “It was a tough turnaround for us between Thief River Falls and Roseau,” said Crookston head coach Ashley Stopa, “we started well but you could tell it was not the same intensity as we had last night.” Crookston would get three points in a row, including a kill from Sydney Anderson (Senior) and the Pirates trailed 15-10, but Roseau just kept coming with different players at the net and upped their lead to 17-10. The Rams received kills for points from Rylie Bjerklie and Sophie Helgeson and then Kacie Borowicz with the big hammer and a 20-14 lead. Crookston was aided by Roseau mishits plus a quick set and slam by Seaver which was followed by a Hefta jump serving ace and the Pirates climbed back within 20-17. Roseau scored twice to make it 22-17 and forced the Pirates into a timeout. It worked as Roseau mishit and the Pirates Anderson kill and it was 22-19, but a bad serve by the Pirates gave Roseau a 23-19 lead.
The Pirates were called for a double hit and Roseau was serving for the first set but they hit the ball out of bounds and the Pirates stayed alive at 24-20. Roseau would have a net violation, but Katie Borowicz slapped one for the winning point and Roseau won 25-21 to take a one nothing lead. “I wouldn’t say either team looked good and were in sort of auto-pilot,” said Stopa, “we just had to try and get the intensity back and come back like we have before.”
Game 2
The two teams traded points to 2-2 when Kacie Borowicz nailed a kill from the back row. The Pirates had some serving errors and mishits and the Rams scored three straight to take a 6-3 lead and Crookston used a quick time-out. It didn’t help Crookston as Roseau upped their lead to 9-3. The Pirates were unable to stem the Roseau charge with the Borowicz sisters dominating and leading 11-6. After trading points, Hefta was able to smack a point down followed by another kill and the Pirates trailed 13-10. The Rams Grace Dunham served three straight points 16-10 before the Pirates scored but Crookston would again serve into the net which has hampered them in the first two sets and Roseau was up 19-11 lead. Crookston’s Seaver had another nice kill on a good set by Kylie Solheim (Senior) but it was too much Kacie Borowicz and Ella Helgeson to give the Rams a 22-13 lead and Crookston used their second time-out. Two serving aces for Mariah Huglen gave Roseau a 23-13 lead and was thwarted from the second set by a Seaver kill and then a Roseau mishit and the Pirates trailed 24-15 but Crookston would serve another one into the net and Kacie Borowicz finished it off and Roseau wins 25-15 to take a two set to none lead. “We made a lot of errors and Roseau moved us around,” said Stopa, “most of the time though we were ready when the ball was on our side.”
Game 3
After Crookston started the third set with a service error, Roseau scored four in a row with the serving of Huglen and hitting of Kacie Borowicz and staking the Rams to a 5-0 lead. Crookston would score twice on a Hefta hit and a miscue by Roseau, but the Rams had some good placements of shots, serving of Kate Helgeson and a couple misfires by the Pirates allowed Roseau to jump out to a 9-2 lead. After Roseau had a net violation to give Crookston a point and Roseau’s lead was 11-5, but again Crookston served into the net. Roseau was just relentless using their entire lineup and everyone contributing to a 20-11 lead. Crookston would make a bit of a charge closing the gap to 21-16 but Roseau went. Crookston was not going to go out with a whimper as a tremendous rally with Roseau leading 24-16, Seaver put down a shot but the Pirates followed with another serving error, Roseau wins 25-17 and complete the win in three games. “Roseau is a very good volleyball team with a lot of success and very good players,” said Stopa, “we had four/five seniors out there and we got behind you could see their heads drop a bit like saying oh, no.”
Crookston finishes the season at 12-13-1 and losing seniors Kylie Solheim, Hailey Seaver, Sydney Anderson, Katelynn Genereux, and Rachel Hefta. “We had a lot of success this year with these girl’s,” said Stopa, “we’ve had more wins, first playoff win and things like that and it’s because of the work these girl’s put into the program. I’m looking forward to watching what they do in the future.” Roseau improves to 18-11 on the year and will meet Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Tuesday in a Section 8AA semi-final match at Thief River Falls.
Sydney Anderson with an attack as two Rams try for a block
1 | 2 | 3 | |
CROOKSTON | 21 | 15 | 17 |
Roseau | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Hailey Seaver with a dig on the serve receive
For Crookston
Kills – Rachel Hefta-9, Hailey Seaver-7, Sydney Anderson-4
Blocks – Sydney Anderson-1, Rachel Hefta-1, Hailey Seaver-1, Kylie Solheim-1
Assists – Kylie Solheim-17, Sydney Anderson-3
Digs – Rachel Hefta-8, Dani Boyle-7, Hailey Seaver-5, Kylie Solheim-5
Aces – Sydney Anderson-2
For Roseau
Kills – Kacie Borowicz-16, Katie Borowicz-6, Rylie Bjerklie-5, Ella Helgeson-5, Kayla Santl-5
Blocks – Ella Helgeson-2
Assists – Grace Dunham-15, Mariah Huglen-15
Digs -Kacie Borowicz-14, Katie Borowicz-9
Aces – Grace Dunham-4, Kacie Borowicz-2, Kate Helgeson-2