2 weeks Ago By Marcus Traxler
MITCHELL — The Mitchell High School volleyball team has earned a lot of experience this season, but much of it has been in losses. On Friday night, the Kernels used that experience to break through in the win column. MHS rallied in the first and third sets against visiting Tea Area for a 3-0 sweep in the debut Eastern South Dakota Conference match between the two schools.
Set scores were 25-21, 25-21 and 26-24. ADVERTISEMENT The Kernels (3-17), who snapped a four-match losing streak for the victory, were in line for the sweep after closing the first set on an 4-0 run, capped with two Kenna Soulek service aces. Mitchell closed the second set on a 7-3 run for a 2-0 match lead.
However, the Kernels were in a bind in the deciding third set, trailing 22-19 and later 24-22 before Tea Area made three consecutive errors on its side of the net and the Kernels' Addie Siemsen clipped the net tape on the match point serve and saw the ball trickle over onto the Tea side for a match-ending service ace. “After that Aberdeen loss, we knew we would learn from giving up a lead. I think our girls played with a little more composure,” Mitchell coach Deb Thill said.
“It was a little bit tougher of a game because Tea Area played a different style from the matches we just played. We played some power-style opponents and they played a little slower. We were a little out of sync because we wanted to be a little quicker with the defense and we adjusted to that as the match went on.
MHS junior Audrey Miller had six kills for the Kernels, while Siemsen had six kills, 11 digs and nine assists. Seventh-grader Nia Talley had four kills, 16 digs and two aces. Soulek had nine assists and three aces, while Kenzie Hetland posted three total blocks.
“We were balanced,” Thill said. “I think Audrey played really well at the net. We were trying to tell the kids to just hit the ball, don’t try to place it and I think Audrey was the one who did that for us.
” Tea Area (1-19) had five kills from Ellie Clayberg and Remington Beshard, as the Titans will face Class A No. 1 Dakota Valley on Monday, Oct. 28 in North Sioux City.
Mitchell finished with a 7-2 edge in aces and a 5-1 edge in blocks. Mitchell will travel to rival Huron on Tuesday, Oct. 29 for a 7 p.
m. match at the Huron Arena. ADVERTISEMENT “We go to Huron on Tuesday and we’ll see where we stand in that one.
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It’s Huron and Mitchell and we would expect it to be a battle,” Thill said. The Kernels will then host Brandon Valley on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the final volleyball match in the MHS Gym before moving into the new school facility next season.
NOTES: It was Mitchell’s Team Pink match and the volleyball program sold pink t-shirts and held a silent auction to support Mitchell’s Heart and Sole organization to support cancer patients in need. ..
. Mitchell honored its seventh-grade volleyball team for winning the Big Four tournament title, which includes Brookings, Huron and Watertown. Members of the team include CeCe Morgan, Allie O’Connor, Lawler Bottum, Avery Swanstrom, Teagan Thill, Gabby Erdmann, Iris Ackman and Meagan Steidl.
The team is coached by Chaydon Metzger and Jacy Puetz. Subvarsity scores: JV: Mitchell won 2-0. Charleigh Collins had seven kills and a block, while Londyn Hajek had 16 assists and seven digs.
Sophomores: Tea Area won 2-0. Freshmen A: Tea Area won 2-1. ADVERTISEMENT Freshmen B: Tea Area won 2-0.
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