DOUBLE-TEAM — The Panthers’ Noelle Bartness (8) and Jade schultz (12) team up for a block against LeSueur-Henderson last week. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
LeSueur-Henderson is a team the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva volleyball team has to learn to play with.
The Giants swept NRHEG during the regular season last year and ended the Panther season with a 3-1 victory in the sub-section championship.
LSH appears to be just as strong this season, outscoring the Panthers 75-47 in a three-game sweep at New Richland Sept. 11.
“We knew we would have to play at a high level to compete against them,” said NRHEG coach Joe Kuechenmeister. “We were a little inconsistent at times and that really hurt us.”
The Giants really had few problems in sweeping the three games, 25-16, 25-17 and 25-14. NRHEG slipped to 2-3-2 for the season.
LeSueur did a nice job keeping the NRHEG attack in check. Carlie Wagner led the Panthers with seven kills in the match, Paige Overgaard and Katie Cole added five kills apiece and Jade Schultz chipped in with four kills. Wagner chipped in with one ace block at the net.
Kal Shurson sparked the defense with 13 digs. Schultz contributed three digs, while Wagner, Overgaard and Cole added two apiece.
Schultz and Hannah Lundberg delivered two ace serves apiece, one more than Wagner.
Noelle Bartness ran the offense, handing out 23 set assists in the match.
“If we continue to improve in our serve receive, good things will happen,” said Kuechenmeister. “That will be our focus moving into the next match.
NRHEG is at home this evening, facing United South Central in a conference match. The Panthers won in four games a year ago.
NRHEG competes in the Midwest Volleyball Warehouse in Burnsville Friday and Saturday. The Panthers tangle with Southwest Christian at 4 p.m. Friday.
The Panthers travel to Montgomery to tangle with Tri-city United Tuesday.
Le Sueur 3, NRHEG 0
LSH 25 25 25
NRHEG 16 17 14
NEXT: Tonight-USC at NRHEG, 7:15 p.m.
