Moorhead High volleyball earns fourth consecutive trip to state
November 6, 2018
Moorhead High’s volleyball team, down by two sets, came back to win the section championship game 3-2 against Willmar Nov. 3 in Alexandria.
Moorhead was ahead in the first two sets, but lost the lead and both sets to the Cardinals. It looked like the Cardinals were about to break their streak of falling to the Spuds in the finals, but Moorhead rallied and slammed home a 25-9 win for the third set.
The Spuds took that momentum into the forth set and stayed aggressive, fighting for each point to win the fourth set 25-21. Coming out with a bang, the Spuds were up 11-4 in the final set, but the Cardinals rallied back and cut the lead to just one point at 13-12. After trading points, outside hitter Mallory Lee scored the final point with a kill down the left sideline, and a trip back to state for the Spuds.
Lee and Jalen Ennen led the Spuds with 19 kills each. Ennen had 23 digs. Setter Claire Howell had three blocks and 45 assists, and Ayana Blythe scored three service aces.
Moorhead plays No. 2 seeded Champlin Park at the Minnesota State Volleyball Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 at the Xcel Energy Center. This will be the fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament for the Spuds, and for the second year they will face Champlin Park. The state tournament continues through Nov. 10 with the final game played at 5 p.m.
Moorhead Volleyball Team
Front: Trainer Nikole Koehn, Rosie Anderson, Ella Swedberg, Claire Howell, Carleigh Vedder, Kylie Francis, Willow Carrier, Alexa Gronwold, Assistant Coach Amy Bjerke, and Assistant Coach Brittany Sadlemyer. Back: Assistant Coach Amber Gunkel, Student Manager Bryn Stumo, Ayana Blythe, Brooke Walthall, Brook Carney, Megan Haugo, Sam Zimmerman, Mallory Lee, Valerie Hernandez, Jalen Ennen, Assistant Coach Cortney Selbitschka, and Coach Char Lien.
Photo: Renée Grover
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