The games were close, but the NRHEG Panthers won them all.

NRHEG swept Alden-Conger in the 2015 volleyball season opener last Thursday, winning 25-23, 25-23, 25-22 at New Richland.

“The team fought hard in all three games, never giving up, playing as a team, with a lot of heart, hustle and intensity,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson. “For our first game of the year, I was very happy with what I saw. We had a great team effort with a lot of players stepping up.”

Peterson said the statistics are not completely accurate, with the process a learning experience for the younger athletes assigned to the task, but here’s what she had:

Maddie Wagner 3 kills, 1 ace block, 23 digs; Marnie Wagner 7 kills, 1 ace block, 24 digs, 1 ace; Abby Wacholz 7 kills, 6 ace blocks, 12 digs; Anna Lundberg 2 kills, 7 digs, 16 assists, 1 ace; Gretchen Ramaker 3 kills, 1 ace block, 1 dig; Hailey Schuller 3 kills, 4 ace blocks, 2 digs; Sophia Fischer 4 kills, 9 digs, 1 ace; Rachel Collins, 8 digs, 13 assists; Abby Christopherson 13 digs; Corrie Powell 15 digs.

The Panthers travel to Nicollet Sept. 1 and to Kenyon-Wanamingo Sept. 10.