Harris-Lake Park regained its winning touch Thursday with a Cornbelt Conference road win over Clay Central-Everly, sweeping the Mavericks, 25-18, 25-10, and 25-17. Noreen Morrow got the Wolves going early with six kills in the first set and finished with a team-high eight, to go along with a game-high three services aces. Leah Duitsman and Miranda Brueggeman both tallied six kills, and Mariah Gath registered five more. Clay Central-Everly was led by Kari Kahl’s eight kills, while Heather Busch and StevieJo Scott each added five kills. The Mavericks are now 0-4 in conference play and 1-10 overall. The Lady Wolves improve to 9-11 on the season and 3-1 in the Cornbelt.
Click here for the postgame interviews with Noreen Morrow, Macy Gunderson, and coach Daryl Meyer.
Cornbelt rivals Graettinger-Terril and Ruthven-Ayrshire required five sets to determine a winner on Thursday, and in the end the Knights prevailed in a back-and-forth match, 26-24, 21-25, 25-14, 19-25, and 15-11. Nikki Brown unleashed 20 kills for G-T, to go along with 17 digs and seven service aces, all team-highs. Hailley Nelson dished out 23 set assists. Graettinger-Terril is now 6-9 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Raiders remain winless on the season through 15 matches.
North Sentral Kossuth/Armstrong-Ringsted had no trouble with CWL, winning convincingly in three sets, 25-5, 25-5, 25-6.
Senior Night at Spirit Lake came down to a fifth and decisive set after the Indians dropped the first two games against Cherokee Thursday night, then rallied to win three straight games and the match, 20-25, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21, and 15-12. Kendra Stokke downed 16 kills, Bailey Loveall denied seven Braves attacks and senior Whitney Berkland notched 22 assists, 27 digs, nine kills and three aces. Spirit Lake improves to 13-4 overall and now 2-1 in the Lakes Conference.
Elsewhere in the Lakes Conference, LeMars defeated Emmetsburg with relative ease, 25-13, 25-11, and 25-18, and top-ranked Western Christian rolled through Estherville Lincoln Central, 25-6, 25-13, and 25-7.
Okoboji hit the road Thursday still looking for its first Siouxland Conference win, however, the Pioneers would not find it against Central Lyon. The Lions swept Okoboji in three sets, 25-17, 25-16, and 25-19. Hitting-wise, Mikkinzie Peschong and Faith Bartlett each had four kills to lead the charge. Peschong also had a team-best 14 digs. Sydney Boeckholt registered seven set assists. Okoboji sits at 9-8 this year and falls to 0-3 in the conference.
In other Siouxland Conference play, Sioux Center handled Sibley-Ocheyedan in three sets, 25-9, 25-13, and 25-12. Eighth-ranked Sheldon swept Rock Valley, 25-15, 25-20, and 25-7. Boyden-Hull earned a league win over West Lyon, 20-25, 25-16, 25-11, 25-14.
The War Eagle Conference saw South O’Brien dispense Spalding Catholic in a sweep, 25-18, 25-16, and 25-18.
North of the border, Martin County West fell in four tough sets to Cleveland, 25-23, 22-25, 25-13, and 25-21. Round Lake-Brewster provided little resistance in a loss at Ellsworth, falling in straight sets, 25-8, 25-21, and 25-14. Fairmont defeated St. James, 25-11, 19-25, 25-9, and 25-22, and Worthington took down Luverne, 25-13, 27-25, 24-26, and 26-24.
