The Official Newspaper for Foster County
For the second consecutive game, the Harvey-Wells County volleyball team faced a top-10 ranked team.
This time around, HWC faced North Star, who was ranked #8 in the most recent state poll. The Bearcats would get a straight set victory over HWC.
The Hornets traveled to Cando on Tuesday, October 17 to take on the Bearcats. The Bearcats came into the contest at 5-1 in the Super Region 4 standings.
The Bearcats jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but HWC responded and kept the game close, pulling to within 7-5. Consecutive kills from Payton Harpestad, Gianna Ahlberg and McKenna Wilke were answered by Rachel Neumiller and Braylee Keller to keep HWC close at 10-7. Seven straight points from North Star moved the lead to 17-7, and the Hornets never recovered as North Star won game one, 25-15.
The Hornet heavy hitters got some kills early in game two, but could not match the output of North Star. HWC trailed, 10-7, but a 10-2 run with Harpestad doing much of the damage gave the home team a 20-9 advantage. Ashley Keller's consecutive kills late in the game pulled HWC to within 24-14, but Gianna's Ahlberg's kill won game two for the Bearcats, 25-14.
North Star started really strong in the deciding game of the night, as they led, 7-1. Kali Fike's kill pulled the Hornets to within 8-5 before a 6-2 Bearcat run moved the lead to 14-7. A 10-point North Star lead dwindled to 24-17 on two straight Braylee Keller kills, but a Hornet service error ended play for the night with the Bearcats getting the sweep, 25-17.
The Bearcats were led on the night by Harpestad with 14 of her team's 42 kills, while Jorie Ahlberg and Jaelyn Buckman each had 19 assists. Elle Nicholas had nine kills and 12 digs to help North Star improve to 6-1 in Region 4.
HWC was led by Braylee Keller's nine kills and Fike's 19 assists. The Hornets dropped to 3-4 in the region.
Super Region 4 Volleyball
North Star 3, HWC 0
at Cando
HWC 15 14 17 - 0
N. Star 25 25 25 - 3
HWC Individual Stats
Kills: Braylee Keller 9, Ashley Keller 6, Rachel Neumiller 4, Taylor Nelson 3, Kali Fike and Rylee Jones 1.
Aces: B. Keller and Neumiller 1.
Assists: Fike 19, Nelson and Maci Reutter 1.
Blocks: A. Keller and B. Keller 1.
Digs: Ava Haldorson and Reutter 8, Brooklyn Dockter and Neumiller 7, Fike and B. Keller 6, Christalea Wagner 2, Jones, A. Keller and Nelson 1.
North Star Individual Stats
Kills: Payton Harpestad 14, Elle Nicholas 9, Gianna Ahlberg 8, McKenna Wilke 5, Rogue Stephens 4, Jorie Ahlberg and Kaitlyn Erickstad 1.
Aces: J. Ahlberg 2, Jaelyn Buckman and Harpestad 1.
Assists: J. Ahlberg and Buckman 19, Harpestad, Nicholas and Stephens 1.
Blocks: Nicholas and Wilke 2, Harpestad 1.
Digs: Nicholas 12, Deborah Clay 11, Harpestad 7, Wilke 4, G. Ahlberg and Buckman 3, Isabelle Berg and Claire Weber 2, Erickstad and Stephens 1.