Bobcats sweep Huron in consolation semifinals

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SIOUX FALLS – There’s an adage that beating a team three times in a season is tough.

The Bobcats proved the old saw true when they knocked off fifth-seeded Huron in straight sets in Friday’s Class AA consolation semifinal at the State Volleyball Tournament at the PREMIER Center.

Not that it was easy, though.

Brookings rallied in each set to pull out a 25-17, 29-27 and 26-24 win over the Tigers to advance to today’s consolation championship against Mitchell – a 3-1 winner over Sioux Falls Roosevelt in the second afternoon match.

Bobcat head coach Jodi Melius agreed with the saying, but added a qualifier.

“We knew their team well; they knew us well, even though the last time that we played was way back in September,” said Melius. “I think today was a meeting of two completely different teams – we’re a different team than we were in September, and we showed that today.

“A great example of someone who has improved from beginning to end is Reagan Weisbeck – Reagan led us today with 12 kills, hitting .344 – that is amazing. And to factor in the other weapons – Kailee Bartels played very well today; Kylie Tucker played well; GoGo Miller; Clarissa Miller – all of our hitters really got the job done today.

“We lacked a little bit of offense yesterday and couldn’t come up with the kills that we needed and today was a completely different story – we hit what we needed to hit.

“We always say that hitting stats start with a great pass – we’re super-excited that our hitters hit .208 today, but that starts with a great pass; and getting that great pass and the great set just gave our hitters the opportunity to take advantage of it and get those kills that we needed.”

In addition to Weisbeck’s 12 kills, Bartels tacked on 10 kills to go along with a block assist as Tucker and Michaela Jewett tallied nine kills apiece. Tucker added four block assists while Jewett chipped in with a block assist, three ace serves, 37 set assists and 23 digs.

Johanna (GoGo) Miller contributed eight kills and a block assist as Clarissa Miller finished with three block assists and four set assists.

Miranda Ysbrand picked up 23 digs for the Bobcat defense; Alli Gordon collected 10; Ashly Borah nine; and Molly Steffensen eight, along with a pair of service aces.

The only set that didn’t go into extra points was Set 1 as Brookings went up 4-1 following a kill by Tucker.

But Huron came back to tie the score at 5-all, and eventually went up 10-8 before the ‘Cats scored three straight for an 11-10 advantage as Bartels and Weisbeck sandwiched a pair of kills around a strong serve by Ysbrand.

Still leading 14-13, Brookings scored eight straight – highlighted by three Johanna Miller kills – to take a commanding 21-13 lead.

The Tigers scored twice before a double block by Clarissa Miller and Tucker, followed by another Bartels kill made it 23-15.

From there, Bartels and Johanna Miller sandwiched kills around two Huron sideouts for the 25-17 win.

The Tigers came out hot in Set 2, building a 10-3 lead before a kill by GoGo Miller started a five-point run that got Brookings back within 10-8, and the ‘Cats eventually tied the set at 11-all.

Neither team led by more than two points until a Bobcat hitting error gave Huron a three-point edge at 18-15.

The Tigers built on that lead and went up 24-19 before Brookings rallied to take a 25-24 lead.

During the six-point run, four different Bobcats had kills as Bartels, Tucker and Weisbeck each had one and Jewett tallied two.

Huron went back up, 27-26, but Brookings scored the final three points – the last on a kill by Tucker after she combined with Clarissa Miller on a block to give the ‘Cats set point.

The Tigers led by as many as four points twice early in Set 3 before Brookings scored six straight points to take a 15-12 lead as Tucker and Weisbeck each had three kills.

Huron came back with three points to tie the set at 15-all.

The Bobcats trailed 20-19 and then scored four points in a row as Jewett, Bartels and Weisbeck came up with kills during the run that gave Brookings a 23-19 lead.

Huron responded with a five-point run to reach set point, but the ‘Cats kept the 24-23 rally alive with scrappy defense to earn the sideout, tying the score at 24-all.

Brookings went back to Weisbeck, and the 5-8 junior responded with back-to-back kills for the 26-24 set win for the sweep.

The fifth-place match between the Bobcats, 16-14 on the season, and the sixth-seeded Kernels, 17-9, is scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. 

 Mitchell 3, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 1

The Kernels defeated the Rough Riders 25-15, 21-25, 25-14, 25-18.

Mitchell’s Chelsea Brewster had 17 kills, two blocks (one solo) and 14 digs. Carly Haring added 12 kills, 1 1/2 blocks and eight digs. Mackenzie Miller contributed 11 kills, a block assist and seven digs.

Mandy Schmidt guided the offense with 33 set assists while also netting three aces and coming up with eight digs. Brooke Flemmer notched nine digs.

Roosevelt’s Leah Koltz had 15 kills and Tatum Wilson added 11 as both players had one block assist.

Elizabeth Denevan (21) and Katherine Nelson (17) combined for 38 set assists. Erin Denevan and Tatum Koomia both tallied 14 digs.

Championship

Semifinals

 Rapid City Stevens 3, Watertown 1

The Raiders prevailed by the set scores of 25-20, 31-29, 27-29, 25-16.

Kyah Watson totaled 16 kills three blocks (one solo) and 10 digs. Phebie Rossi had 11 kills, three blocks and a pair of aces.

Carly Buehner contributed 13 kills and a block. Elizabeth Schaefer added 13 kills and 14 digs.

Marlee Schneider dished out 51 set assists. Laura Petik came up with 11 digs. Emily Sobczak chipped in with three kills, 1 1/2 blocks and an ace.

For the Arrows, Mariah Gloe finished with 12 kills, an ace and 14 digs. Sophie Tietz added 111 kills, a block and an ace. Meghan Meggelund tallied 10 kills, a block assist and seven digs.

Alexx Bayles, who had seven digs, and Annie Norberg both recorded 20 set assists. Tayler Corey notched 15 digs and netted a trio of aces. Mckenzie Buisker had six kills and two blocks (one solo).

 Sioux Falls Washington 3, Sioux Falls O’Gorman 0

Washington, the only team to beat Stevens this season, made short work of the Lady Knights in Friday’s final match as the Warriors posted a 25-11, 25-19 and 25-18 win.

Lily Bartling and Samiya Jami both tallied 10 kills each while Phekran Kong (8) and Sydni Schetnan (7) combined for 15 as Aspen Langley put up 30 set assists and served two aces.

Peyton Rymerson had 11 digs as Washington improved to 30-5.

Emma Ronsiek’s 10 kills led the Lady Knights, who dropped to 28-6.

Reagen Reilly added eight and Courtney Baruth had six as Bergen Reilly finished with 14 set assists and Jamie Renshaw collected 14 digs.