Far left: Emma Smith (15) made a nice set to her front row as Abbie Crawford (14) was watching and ready to make an assist if needed. Top: Sophie Eliasen made a great play on this ball, digging a hard spike, which was inches from smacking the floor before she saved it. Left: Alyssa Fenstad- Lashinski and Reilly Wahlers (above) both pounded home spikes in the Vikings’ match-up against Moose Lake-Willow River. Staff photos/Laurie Johnson
There won’t be a fourth straight state appearance for the Cook County volleyball team.
The third-seeded Cook County High School Vikings volleyball team received a first round bye in the section 7A playoffs and played Moose Lake-Willow River at home on Wednesday, Oct. 24, beating the Rebels 3-1.
Moose Lake defeated McGregor 25-9, 25-12, 25-12 on Monday, Oct. 22 to earn the right to play the Vikings. Earlier in the season, on September 6, the Vikings beat the Rebels 3-1 at Moose Lake.
On Friday, October 26, the 8-9 Vikings traveled to Cromwell- Wright to face the 19-3 Cardinals and fell 3-1.
The Vikings came out strong and took the first game 25-16, but Cromwell came back to win the next three games 25-21, 25-17, 25-16.
Freshman Morgan Starkey finished with eight kills and 15 digs. Senior Reilly Wahlers finished with seven kills and 19 digs and senior Sophie Eliasen had seven kills and 20 digs.
Cromwell now has to play the top-seeded 30-2 Carlton Bulldogs to see who moves on to the state tournament.
In Marlene Wester’s first full year as head coach, the Vikings ended their season by finishing in fourth place (7-4) in the 12-team Polar League Conference.
The Vikings say goodbye to seven seniors: Elsa Lunde, Andrea Larsen, Sophie Eliasen, Sela Backstrom, Reilly Wahlers, Alyssa Fenstad Lashinski, and Emma Smith. From ninth through 12th grades this group has been part of three straight state qualifying Viking teams and ended up playing in the quarterfinals of the Section 7A tournament.
“My seniors were a huge help this year by helping to form this new program and also by being amazing leaders. They showed up and worked hard at practice and helped the younger kids when they needed it. They will be greatly missed but the program will be stronger because of them,” said head coach Marlene Wester.
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