FERGUS FALLS - A virtually overhauled Willmar volleyball team clearly wasn’t overwhelmed in the its season opener on Thursday.
The Cardinals dominated Fergus Falls, winning 25-16, 25-12 and 25-19 in a Central Lakes Conference match at Fergus Falls High School.
The Cardinals are young, with just three seniors on their 14-player roster. Seven are juniors, two are sophomores and Carly Wedel and Grace Marti are freshmen.
“They did a great job,” said Cardinals head coach Traci Grussing. “I thought they’d be nervous because we’re coming in with almost a whole new lineup. But they were nervous for about four points and then they played great.”
Willmar mounted a balanced attack, with eight players recording at least one kill.
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Carly Wedel had eight kills, served five aces and also had three blocks. She teamed up with Esther Grussing to handle setting, combining for 24 assists.
Grussing also had six kills and four block aces. Cami Sletta swatted seven winners at the net.
The Cardinals play another road match at St. Cloud Apollo at 7 p.m. Tuesday before opening at home against Sartell on Thursday.
Willmar 3, Fergus Falls 0
Willmar (1-0) 25 25 25
Fergus Falls (0-2) 16 12 19
Willmar
Serving: Addie Erickson 8-9-0, Carly Wedel 18-21-5, Emma Rosen 11-13-4, Esther Grussing 6-6-0, Hannah Gallagher 8-9-1, Heidi Sellman 8-9-0, Martha Roberts 1-1-0 … Setting: Wedel 42-43-13, Grussing 36-37-11 … Hitting: Aby Kienholz 4-4-2, Cami Sletta 18-21-7, Wedel 14-17-8, Catelyn Haug 8-11-3, Rosen 4-7-1, Grussing 12-15-6, Grace Marti 1-1-1, Sellman 4-6-2 … Blocking (aces): Wedel 3, Grussing 4, Marti 2, Sellman 3 … Digs (5 or more): Erickson 15, Haug 6, Grussing 5
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Fergus Falls
Statistics not available
NON-CONFERENCE
BBE 3, MACCRAY 0
The first two games went into extra time, but the hometown Jaguars prevailed in both of them before winning the third game by six points to complete a sweep Thursday in Belgrade.
Ashley Trustheim put down 12 kills for BBE after making just one hitting error in 25 attacks. Trustheim also had three ace blocks, and Karlee Kern added eight kills and team-high totals of 11 digs and four ace serves.
Tessa Halvorson directed the BBE offense with 26 assists and Morgan Gronli also pocketed 11 digs.
The Wolverines (0-2) were paced by Emily Orwick’s 12 kills and 18 digs, Carly Orwick’s nine kills and 12 digs, Ellie Thein’s seven kills and three ace blocks, and Sydney Schwitters’ 25 assists.
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The Jaguars (1-2) have a week off before playing at the two-day Southwest Minnesota Challenge in Marshall starting next Friday. MACCRAY hosts Minneota on Tuesday.
MACCRAY (0-2) 25 24 19
BBE (1-2) 27 26 25
MACCRAY
Serving (aces): Sydney Schwitters 1, Ellie Thein 3, Carly Orwick 1 … Set assists: Schwitters 25 … Hitting (kills): Emily Orwick 12, C. Orwick 9, Thein 7, Emily Wrede 6, Olivia Ruiter 2, Schwitters 5 … Blocking (aces): none … Digs (5 or more): Thein 11, Schwitters 11, Ellie Hultgren 7, C. Orwick 12, Meghan Listerud 11, E. Orwick 18
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa
Serving (aces): Karlee Kern 4, Ashley Trustheim 1, Morgan Gronli 2, Bailey Buchholz 2 … Set assists: Tessa Halvorson 26, Gronli 1 … Hitting (kills): Kern 8, Amanda Kollman 2, Trustheim 12, Kendall Kampsen 3, Gronli 4 … Blocking (aces): Kern 1, Trustheim 3, Kampsen 1, Gronli 2 … Digs (5 or more): Kern 11, Trustheim 6, Halvorson 8, Gronli 11
New London-Spicer 3, Albany 0
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Kabrie Weber had 11 kills and Lindsay Vagle and Brennan Bergh both had seven kills to lead New London-Spicer to a non-conference victory over the Huskies on Thursday.
Erin Tebben had three kills and four blocks. Espi Austvold had 29 set assists and eight digs.
The Wildcats improved to 2-3 and they play host to Paynesville at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
NLS (2-3) 25 25 25
Albany (3-3) 22 17 21
New London-Spicer
Serving (aces): Kabrie Weber 1, Alyssa Fredrick 1, Lindsay Vagle 1, Brennan Bergh 1, Carley Cronen 1 … Set assists: NA … Hitting (kills): Weber 11, Espi Austvold 1, Megan Thorson 3, Vagle 7, Erin Tebben 3, Bergh 7, Kara Jacobson 1 … Blocking (aces): Weber 1, Thorson 1, Tebben 4 … Digs (5 or more): Fredrick 8, Austvold 8, Bergh 10, Cronen 11
Albany
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Statistics not provided
Paynesville 3, YME 0
Paynesville’s Katelyn Dingmann collected eight kills, five ace serves and two ace blocks to lead the Bulldogs to their fifth win of the season Thursday.
Ashley Froelich added seven kills and an ace block, and Ella Johnson had six kills, one ace serve and one ace block.
Jordan Hinz led YME with four kills and three ace blocks.
Paynesville (5-2) plays Tuesday at New London-Spicer, and YME (0-2) hosts Dawson-Boyd on Tuesday.
YME (0-2) 15 13 25
Paynesville (5-2) 25 25 27
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Yellow Medicine East
Serving (aces): Jordan Hinz 1 … Set assists: Kalli Knudson 11 … Hitting (kills): Knudson 1, Paige Steffen 2, Mackenzie Dyrdahl 3, J. Hinz 4, Anna McCosh 1, Makayla Dyrdahl 3, Madison Hinz 1 … Blocking (aces): Steffen 2, Mac. Dyrdahl 3, J. Hinz 3, Maggie Scheffler 1, McCosh 1, Mak. Dyrdahl 2 … Digs (5 or more): Steffen 5, Hagert 5, Mac. Dyrdahl 7, J. Hinz 7
Paynesville
Serving (aces): Sydney Riley 4, Ella Johnson 1, Katelyn Dingmann 5, McKayla Quade 1, Richelle Beurmann 2 … Set assists: Riley 25 … Hitting (kills): Riley 3, Ashley Froelich 7, Johnson 6, Dingmann 8, Quade 4, Sara Shaefer 2 … Blocking (aces): Froelich 1, Johnson 1, Dingmann 2, Quade 1 … Digs (5 or more): Riley 9, Froelich 6, Johnson 12, Quade 6, Beurmann 17
Redwood Valley 3, RCW 2
Renville County West won its first two games, but Redwood Valley took the next three for the win on Thursday.
Emma Kronlokken picked up 12 kills and an ace block for RCW, with Mikayla Pharr notching seven kills and two ace blocks.
Kaylee Bratsch added four ace serves, 24 set assists, three kills and 15 digs.
RCW (0-2) plays Tuesday at home against KMS.
RCW (0-2) 25 25 16 20 13
Redwood Valley 19 21 25 25 15
Renville County West
Serving (aces): Kaylee Bratsch 4, Avery Elfering 3, Steph Zaske 1 … Set assists: Bratsch 24, … Hitting (kills): Emma Kronlokken 12, Anessa Seehusen 8, Mikayla Pharr 7, Brittney Marr 4, Elfering 5, Bratsch 3 … Blocking (aces): Pharr 2, Seehusen 1, Kronlokken 1 … Digs (5 or more): Libby Groen 13, Zaske 21, Marr 35, Elfering 9, Bratsch 15,
Redwood Valley
Statistics not available
Maple Lake 3, Litchfield 1
Litchfield held tough against undefeated Maple Lake, but fell in four games Thursday.
Macy Huhner and Jasmin Estrada each had seven kills, with Estrada adding four ace serves.
Hallie Euerle had five kills, and Kyndra Beavers had two ace serves and eight digs.
The Dragons (1-1) play Tuesday at home against Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted.
Maple Lake (6-0) 25 25 25 25
Litchfield (1-1) 23 15 27 17
Maple Lake
Statistics not available
Litchfield
Serving (aces): Kyndra Beavers 2, Jasmin Estrada 4 … Set assists: Brynne Wahl 19 … Hitting (kills): Hannah Banks 1, Macy Huhner 7, Estrada 7, Savanna Pater 2, Hallie Euerle 5, Kassie King 1 … Blocking (aces): Banks 1, Pater 1 … Digs (5 or more): Beavers 8, Wahl 7, King 7
WEST CENTRAL
BOLD 3, Benson 1
Kiah Morse had 10 kills, 12 digs and three ace serves, and Makenna Steffel supplied seven kills and four ace blocks to spark the Warriors’ win on Thursday in Benson.
Whitney Haney added eight kills and two ace blocks, Allison Krause tallied 18 set assists and three ace serves, and Elsa Skeie had seven kills.
Sophie Ascheman had seven kills and three ace blocks, and Kelsey Pederson had a team-leading eight kills for Benson. Addie Forbord also served up three aces.
BOLD hosts Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City and Benson hosts Morris/Chokio-Alberta on Tuesday.
BOLD (1-0, 2-0) 25 25 22 25
Benson (0-1, 0-2) 12 20 25 20
BOLD
Serving (aces): Kiah Morse 3, Allison Krause 3, Emily Gass 1 … Set assists: Krause 18, Lauren Kopel 15 … Hitting (kills): Morse 10, Whitney Haney 8, Elsa Skeie 7, Makenna Steffel 7 … Blocking (aces): Steffel 4, Haney 2, Lanie Altmann 1 … Digs (5 or more): Peyton Weis 12, Morse 12
Benson
Serving (aces): Addie Forbord 3, Megan Amundson 1, Kelsey Pederson 1, Sophie Ascheman 3, Hanna Lindblad 1, Nicole Berens 1 … Set assists: Forbord 12, Lindblad 14, Ascheman 1, Berens 1 … Hitting (kills): Amundson 5, Pederson 8, Ascheman 7, Amanda Nissen 3, Presley Gonnerman 3, Victoria Pagel 2, Lindblad 2, Danielle Himley 1 … Blocking (aces): Gonnerman 1, Pagel 1 … Digs (5 or more): Amundson 6, Pederson 14, Lindblad 13, Berens 5
Montevideo 3, Minnewaska 0
Montevideo improved to 2-0 and won its West Central Conference opener over the Lakers on Thursday in Montevideo.
Ashley McKee finished with eight kills and she also had two blocks, and Abby Olson had five kills, an ace serve, two blocks and 12 digs.
Minnewaska’s Kaylee Glover had 11 kills, served an ace and had 13 digs.
The Thunder Hawks play at Sauk Centre at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Minnewaska fell to 0-2 and play Melrose on Tuesday.
Minnewaska (0-2) 23 24 19
Montevideo (2-0) 25 26 25
Minnewaska
Serving (aces): Kaylee Glover 1, Emma Middendorf 1, Taylor Amundson 1, Bailey Stewart 1 … Set assists: Amundson 9 … Hitting (kills): Glover 11, Abby VerSteeg 4, Ashlyn Guggisberg 3, Middendorf 5, Amundson 3, Courtney Erickson 1 … Blocking (aces): Glover 1, Guggisberg 2 … Digs (5 or more): Glover 13, VerSteeg 16, Guggisberg 15, Makenzie Zemke 8, Amundson 6, Stewart 7, Madison Lundebrek 18
Montevideo
Serving (aces): Abby Olson 1, Katie Hillerud 3, Sarah Sulflow 1 … Set assists: Grace Sulflow 12, S. Sulflow 11 … Hitting (kills): Olivia Hagen 1, Abby Olson 5, Hillerud 3, Alex Wolner 1, Ashley McKee 8 … Blocking (aces): Olson 2, McKee 2, Alexis Schmitz 4, Kaylee Glomstad 1 … Digs (5 or more): Hagen 9, Olson 12, Hillerud 5, G. Sulflow 5
Morris/CA 3, Melrose 1
Jenna Howden with 12 kills and Brooke Gillespie another 11 powered the Tigers on the road Thursday.
Karly Fehr had 37 set assists to direct the offense, while Riley Decker sparked the offense with 22 digs. Gillespie followed with 19 digs.
The Tigers also got eight kills and three ace blocks from Ashley Solvie, and seven kills and three ace serves from Lindsey Dierks.
The Tigers (1-0, 2-0) are at Benson on Tuesday.
Morris/CA (1-0, 2-0) 25 25 22 25
Melrose (0-1, 0-1) 17 17 25 17
Morris/Chokio-Alberta
Serving (aces): Brooke Gillespie 1, Karly Fehr 1, Lindsey Dierks 3, Riley Decker 1 … Set assists: Fehr 37, Carly Maanum 3 … Hitting (kills): Gillespie 11, Jenna Howden 12, Ashley Solvie 8, Dierks 7, Maanum 6, Fehr 5 … Blocking (aces): Gillespie 1, Fehr 1, Solvie 3, Howden 1 … Digs (5 or more): Gillespie 19, Fehr 7, Dierks 16, Decker 22, Koral Tolifson 6
Melrose
Statistics not provided
TOMAHAWK
BLHS 3, Springfield 0
The Mustangs won their first conference match of the season, taking out Springfield on in three games Thursday.
Kiana Johnson led Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart with seven kills, and Breanna Buboltz, Mariah Paulson and Brittany Schmalz added five each.
Schmalz notched three ace serves and Paulson had three ace blocks.
The Mustangs (1-0, 4-2) next play Thursday at Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop.
Springfield 6 19 22
BLHS (1-0, 4-2) 25 25 25
Springfield
Statistics not available
Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart
Serving (aces): Jordyn Feige 2, Madison Ehlers 2, Brittany Schmalz 3, Keighly Daak 1 … Set assists: Ehlers 12, Kaitlyn Krumrey 8 … Hitting (kills): Breanna Buboltz 5, Mariah Paulson 5, Kiana Johnson 7, Schmalz 5, Rachel Grimm 2, Alaina Leske 4 … Blocking (aces): Paulson 3 … Digs (5 or more): Daak 8
