Panthers drop nonconference match
YES! — Members of the NRHEG volleyball team celebrate a game-two victory over WEM last Tuesday. The Bucs won the nonconference match 3-1. From left: Katie Cole, Kalana Shurson, Noelle Bartness, Carlie Wagner, Jade Schultz and Hannah Lundberg. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
NEW RICHLAND – The first loss of the season was a frustrating one for coach Joe Kuechenmeister and his New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva volleyball team. The Panthers had game point in three of the four games, but only won one of them, in suffering a 3-1 loss to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown in New Richland Sept. 4.
The Panthers won two matches against WEM a year ago, but got outscored 100-88 in the four-game match last Tuesday.
This match was a non-conference contest and improved the Buccaneers to 4-0 this season.
NRHEG slipped to 2-1, with all three matches being played at home.
“We had a lot of shoulda, coulda, wouldas tonight that come to mind,” said Kuechenmeister. “The girls battled hard. There’s no doubt about that.”
The Panthers were unable to cash in on a game point in the opening game and ended up taking a 26-24 loss.
NRHEG evened the match at 1-1 by eaking out a 25-23 win in game two.
The only lop-sided game was the third one where the Buccaneers rolled to a 25-15 victory.
WEM avoided a game point and clinched the match with a 26-24 triumph in the fourth game.
Carlie Wagner paced the Panthers up front, smashing 16 kills. Katie Cole delivered 10 kills, Paige Overgaard delivered five kills and Jade Schultz added four kills.
Wagner had six ace blocks at the net, while Overgaard and Noelle Bartness chipped in with two ace blocks apiece.
From the service line, Schultz, Kalana Shurson and Bartness nailed two ace serves apiece.
Wagner and Shurson sparked the defense with 10 digs apiece, one more than Schultz.
Bartness added six digs, Hannah Lundberg came up with four digs with Overgaard and Cole contributing three digs apiece.
“We have some work to do to maintain a level of consistency throughout the duration of a match,” said Kuechenmeister. “That will be our main focus in the weeks to come.”
NRHEG has a home match against Maple River this evening before traveling to Faribault BA Monday. The Panthers will play at Medford Tuesday.
WEM 3, NRHEG 1
WEM 26 23 25 26 100
NRHEG 24 25 15 24 88
NEXT: Thursday-Maple River at NRHEG, 7:15 p.m.