NRHEG’s season ends with 3-1 sub-section loss
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
MANKATO – The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva volleyball team could not overcome a shaky start and saw its season end in the semifinal of the South Sub-Section 2AA.
Top-seeded Kenyon-Wanamingo defeated the Panthers 3-1 at Mankato East last Thursday.
The Knights dominated game one, cruising to an easy 25-11 victory. The Panthers trailed 13-1 to start the match.
NRHEG rebounded well to capture a 25-18 win in game two, tying the match 1-1. The game was tied 16-16 before a pair of Carlie Wagner kills sparked a 9-2 Panther run the rest of the way.
NRHEG battled hard in game three, but K-W led most of the way to pick up a 25-15 win.The Panthers held a 22-18 lead in game four, but the Knights rallied to end the match with a 28-26 victory.
Kenyon-Wanamingo finished with a 96 to 77 scoring advantage for the night.
The Knights improved to 21-5-4 for the season.
“We didn’t show up at the start. We had a lot of errors to start the night,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson. “We worked really hard after the first game.”
Carlie Wagner pounded 16 kills and came up with six blocks for NRHEG. Paige Overgaard added six kills and a pair of blocks.
Wagner also led the defense with 16 digs in the match. Hailey Schuller picked up nine digs for the Panthers, Hannah Lundberg chipped in with six digs and Marnie Wagner and Remi Wayne added five digs apiece.
Marnie Wagner delivered a pair of service aces.
Schuller handed out 12 set assists, three more than Anna Lundberg.
“I was proud of our performance,” said Peterson. “I couldn’t have asked for any more from the girls.”
NRHEG finished its season with a 9-15-3 record.
Seniors Carlie Wagner, Hannah Lundberg, Paige Overgaard and Jade Schultz played their final match for the Panthers.
Kenyon defeated Waterville-Elysian-Morristown to capture the sub-section championship, but lost to Belle Plaine in the section final.
South Sub-Sect. 2AA (SF)
K-W 3, NRHEG 1
NRHEG 11 25 15 26 77
K-W 25 18 25 28 96