Above: With Trace McQuatters (11) looking on, Tarin Hansen bumped a ball to her front line in the game against Silver Bay. Right: Poised to strike, Meredith Sutton went up high to spike the ball against the Mariners.
It was tight, but the Vikings upped their record to 13-0 with their defeat of the South Ridge Panthers in a match played at South Ridge on October 1.
The Vikings started off hot, winning the first game in a 25-12 romp. Game two was tight, but the Vikings held on to win 25-23. South Ridge came back to win the next two games 25-20 and 25-14 to set up a fifth game tiebreaker, which the Vikings won 15-11.
“We didn’t serve well at all in that fourth game,” said Head Coach Pam Taylor. “I don’t think they [South Ridge] expected us to come so strong, but their game did pick up after the first game,” added Taylor.
The Vikings were down 7-2 in the tiebreaker before coming back strong to win 15-11.
Meredith Sutton recorded 16 kills, 18 digs and had three blocks in the hard-fought match. Linden Sutton finished with 9 kills, Lily Gruber-Schulz 6 kills, Maddy Roy 16 set assists, and Alex Slanga 17 set assists.
“The kids all played great,” Taylor said. “Meredith gets most of the kills, but without the others to dig and set, she wouldn’t be able to get those kills. Linden, Raina (Ryden) and Meredith were 95 percent on their serve receptions. Raina ended her night with 25 digs and Linden added another 23 digs.”
Mallory Thibault led South Ridge with 6 kills and four blocks while Krystal Karppinen recorded 41 set assists to lead the Panthers.
Following the game Coach Taylor said the Vikings had sewn up the large school Polar League title. The Vikings are the only unbeaten team in the large or small school Polar League. Finishing behind the Vikings are Esko, Moose Lake/Willow River, Two Harbors, South Ridge, Cromwell, Carlton, Wrenshall, Silver Bay, Barnum, Floodwood, and McGregor.
Vikings sweep Two Harbors tournament
The Vikings won three straight matches to sweep the Two Harbors tournament played Saturday, October 3 and up the Viking record to 16-0.
Getting ready to make another set assist, Alex Slanga sends the ball to her very tall front court players in the match against Silver Bay. Slanga finished the match with 15 set assists.
The Vikings first beat Proctor 25-19, 25-15, then took on Mesabi East and won 25-17, 22-25, 15-8 and finally defeated Eveleth Gilbert 25-13, 25-19 to take the crown.
“Everyone played really well this weekend,” said Coach Taylor. “I don’t really have stats for the games but everyone played and did really well.”
Vikings sink Mariners
A packed house watched the Viking volleyball team record its 17th straight win of the season against the Silver Bay Mariners at home on Tuesday, October 6.
The Vikings won in three straight games by the scores of 25-13, 25-11, 25-20.
Silver Bay led much of the last game, racing to a 5-0 lead behind the serving of Hattie Koehler. The Vikings didn’t catch the Mariners until they knotted the score at 19-19. From then on it was all Vikings as they reeled off 6 points to Silver Bay’s 1.
For the game Alex Slanga finished with 15 set assists and 4 ace serves. Lily Gruber-Schulz had 6 kills and Linden Sutton had 11 kills and 4 solo blocks.
The Vikings’ main obstacle in the way of a perfect season is the game against the two-loss Carlton Bulldogs who they faced at press time on Thursday, October 8.
Following that game the Vikings play Wrenshall and Silver Bay away, and then conclude the regular season at home on October 22 against Floodwood. None of the last three teams has a winning record. The game against Floodwood will start at 6:30 p.m.
Come out and cheer for your Vikings!
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