DETROIT LAKES - After a strong start, the Laker volleyball team dropped their third match in a row to the surging Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-18) in a Mid-State Conference opener for both schools. "The first game we kept serving at their libero (Sophie Wood) and she was making good passes, so we went away from that and they were struggling to get it set up,” Wolverines Head Coach Sue Volkmann said. The first set came down to the wire with the teams tied at 21, 22 and 23 points. Sarah Halbakken gave DL set point with a kill and a diving save by Shay Nielsen in the backcourt on set point set up a Laker kill to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Casey Volkmann, continuing what is becoming a legacy for Volkmann volleyball players in Wadena, got the Wolverines off to a hot start with three aces and four points won on her serve to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Volkmann was strong all over the court Thursday night and came up with big serves often. “She wasn’t our problem; we were,” Laker Head Coach Jim Wood said. Trailing 8-4, Nielsen matched Volkmann’s efforts with a kill and taking the serve led the Lakers on a run to a tie at nine points. The score was back and forth with serving efficiency dipping for both teams. Volkmann put W-DC up 22-18 with a kill and Halbakken scored DL’s final point of the second set as the Wolverines tied the match at one-all 25-19. “I think we picked up our intensity and confidence,” Sue Volkmann said. “Every game we're getting a little more confident. I think that has really helped us. Last year we struggled with only one senior. These kids went through it last year and we have six seniors so we have some maturity on our team this year. We're looking to do better things.”
As the Wolverines surged the final two sets, DL struggled with communication, allowing a number of balls to fall between players and finding consistency was difficult. Coach Wood cited a lack of commitment and team unity after the frustrating loss. Volleyball can be a game of runs and momentum can shift quickly. The Wolverines built on second set momentum and took a 9-2 lead early in the third. DL closed to within four points trailing 11-7 before WD-C went on a run that was stemmed by a back row kill by Sophie Wood at 18-12 Wolverines. A solid block by Alyssa Austin added another point for the Lakers but WD-C poured it on winning the set on back-to-back blocks for a 25-14 win and a 2-1 match lead. Casey Volkmann served an ace to start the fourth set but the Lakers got her off the line with the ensuing point. After tying at two-all, W-DC outscored the Lakers 8-1 to lead 10-3 on a resounding block at the net. Nielsen and Halbakken spurred a run for DL with a nice kill by Mikayla Markuson cutting the Wolverine lead to 12-10. A pair of ace serves by Abigail Schramel and a four-point run, including a kill by Schramel assisted by Haidyn Gunderson gave DL a 15-13 lead looking to push the match to a deciding fifth set. Nielsen and Wood had big back row kills in the push to the end of the set, Wood’s coming out of a DL time out with W-DC leading 23-18. The Wolverines answered from their own back row to put the away team on the hill for the win and sealed the match with an ace. DL falls to 1-3 after winning their season opener and will face Pelican Rapids Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Pelican. Wadena-Deer Creek, a 2A team, is 3-0 having traversed three class levels defeating Verndale (1A), Long Prairie-Grey Eagle (2A) and the 3A Lakers. They match up with another 3-0 team in Nevis on Monday. Laker results Wadena-Deer Creek at Detroit Lakes, Thursday, Sept. 4. Wolverines 3, Lakers 1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-18) DL stats: Kills: Nielsen 10, Halbakken 7, Berg 6, Hutchinson 4, Vagle 4, Austin 3, Markuson 3, Wood 2, Gunderson 1, Harrier 1, Schramel 1. Aces: Nielsen 2, Schramel 2, Halbakken 1, Harrier 1, Wood 1. Digs: Nielsen 10, Wood 7, Berg 3, Harrier 2, Larson 2, Schramel 1, Vagle 1. Blocks: Austin 3, Halbakken, Markuson, Nielsen, Schramel 1. DETROIT LAKES - After a strong start, the Laker volleyball team dropped their third match in a row to the surging Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 3-1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-18) in a Mid-State Conference opener for both schools."The first game we kept serving at their libero (Sophie Wood) and she was making good passes, so we went away from that and they were struggling to get it set up,” Wolverines Head Coach Sue Volkmann said. The first set came down to the wire with the teams tied at 21, 22 and 23 points. Sarah Halbakken gave DL set point with a kill and a diving save by Shay Nielsen in the backcourt on set point set up a Laker kill to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Casey Volkmann, continuing what is becoming a legacy for Volkmann volleyball players in Wadena, got the Wolverines off to a hot start with three aces and four points won on her serve to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Volkmann was strong all over the court Thursday night and came up with big serves often.“She wasn’t our problem; we were,” Laker Head Coach Jim Wood said.Trailing 8-4, Nielsen matched Volkmann’s efforts with a kill and taking the serve led the Lakers on a run to a tie at nine points. The score was back and forth with serving efficiency dipping for both teams.Volkmann put W-DC up 22-18 with a kill and Halbakken scored DL’s final point of the second set as the Wolverines tied the match at one-all 25-19.“I think we picked up our intensity and confidence,” Sue Volkmann said. “Every game we're getting a little more confident. I think that has really helped us. Last year we struggled with only one senior. These kids went through it last year and we have six seniors so we have some maturity on our team this year. We're looking to do better things.”
As the Wolverines surged the final two sets, DL struggled with communication, allowing a number of balls to fall between players and finding consistency was difficult.Coach Wood cited a lack of commitment and team unity after the frustrating loss.Volleyball can be a game of runs and momentum can shift quickly.The Wolverines built on second set momentum and took a 9-2 lead early in the third. DL closed to within four points trailing 11-7 before WD-C went on a run that was stemmed by a back row kill by Sophie Wood at 18-12 Wolverines. A solid block by Alyssa Austin added another point for the Lakers but WD-C poured it on winning the set on back-to-back blocks for a 25-14 win and a 2-1 match lead.Casey Volkmann served an ace to start the fourth set but the Lakers got her off the line with the ensuing point. After tying at two-all, W-DC outscored the Lakers 8-1 to lead 10-3 on a resounding block at the net.Nielsen and Halbakken spurred a run for DL with a nice kill by Mikayla Markuson cutting the Wolverine lead to 12-10. A pair of ace serves by Abigail Schramel and a four-point run, including a kill by Schramel assisted by Haidyn Gunderson gave DL a 15-13 lead looking to push the match to a deciding fifth set.Nielsen and Wood had big back row kills in the push to the end of the set, Wood’s coming out of a DL time out with W-DC leading 23-18. The Wolverines answered from their own back row to put the away team on the hill for the win and sealed the match with an ace.DL falls to 1-3 after winning their season opener and will face Pelican Rapids Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Pelican. Wadena-Deer Creek, a 2A team, is 3-0 having traversed three class levels defeating Verndale (1A), Long Prairie-Grey Eagle (2A) and the 3A Lakers. They match up with another 3-0 team in Nevis on Monday.Laker resultsWadena-Deer Creek at Detroit Lakes, Thursday, Sept. 4.Wolverines 3, Lakers 1(23-25, 25-19, 25-14, 25-18)DL stats:Kills: Nielsen 10, Halbakken 7, Berg 6, Hutchinson 4, Vagle 4, Austin 3, Markuson 3, Wood 2, Gunderson 1, Harrier 1, Schramel 1.Aces: Nielsen 2, Schramel 2, Halbakken 1, Harrier 1, Wood 1.Digs: Nielsen 10, Wood 7, Berg 3, Harrier 2, Larson 2, Schramel 1, Vagle 1.Blocks: Austin 3, Halbakken, Markuson, Nielsen, Schramel 1.
