SUB-SECTION RUNNER UPS - Front row from left: Grace Wilkenson, Mayla Soulisak, Faith Nielsen, Sidney Schultz, Hallie Schultz, Tayler Schmidt. Back row: Bailey Ihrke, Andy Briggs, Erin Jacobson, Bree Ihrke, Sophie Stork, Sarah George, Madison Murray, Tatum Smith Vulcan, Rhys Martin, Keira Lenort.
Photo by Judy Tweeten
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The NRHEG Panther Volleyball program may very well need to set their sights a little higher next year after their season came to an end in the Section 2AA South Sub-Section finals.
The Panthers came tantalizingly close to taking rival WEM to a fifth game, losing three games to one Thursday night in New Prague.
“This was our goal, to get to the sub section championship, and we did it,” NRHEG Coach Onika Peterson said. “I am so proud of this group of girls and what they have accomplished this season.”
An ongoing theme this year has been slow starts and this was again the case Thursday night. The Panthers dropped the first two sets 25-18 and 25-15 before rallying for a two point win in set three.
And, as was the case a decade ago in 2011 when the Panthers came within a ‘whisker’ of forcing a fifth game, this Panther squad also dropped game four by two points, 27-25.
“We started out a little slow tonight, but the girls never once gave up,” Coach Peterson said. “It shows how much heart and grit that this team has had all season.”
But it was tough to take because the Panthers were so close to closing out game four.
“We had a chance,” Coach Peterson went on. “Unfortunately it wasn’t our night.”
Individually for the Panthers: Faith Nielsen, 2 digs, 1 assist; Erin Jacobson, 6 kills, 5 digs, 1 ace block, 1 ace serve; Sophie Stork, 13 kills, 10 digs, 1 ace block, 1 ace serve; Bree Ihrke, 8 kills, 1 assist, 4 ace blocks, 1 ace serve; Hallie Schultz 29 assists, 10 digs, 2 ace blocks; Sarah George, 4 kills, 1 dig, 3 ace blocks; Rhys Martin, 2 kills, 1 ace block, 1 ace serve; Bailey Ihrke, 1 dig; Sidney Schultz 12 digs, 1 assist, 1 ace serve.
The Panthers 6-5 and fourth, one spot behind WEM in the Gopher Conference, finished 16-13 in Peteron’s ninth season as head coach. Peterson is assisted by coaches Corrine Schuller and Jennifer Hatton. Keira Lenort is the student manager.
The Panthers will graduate seniors Rhys Martin and Sophie Stork.
“Thank you to this amazing group of girls for such a fun year,” Coach Peterson said. “Thank you to our two seniors Rhys Martin and Sophie Stork for the dedication, time, and effort they have given to this Panther Volleyball Program.”