Volleyball defeats Royals, Eagles

by Ashley Hertwig
When the final bell rang at 2:55 p.m. on Sept. 7 after the first day of school, the Irish volleyball players’ minds switched from school mode to volleyball mode as they got on the bus heading to Watertown-Mayer.
Game one started out well with the Irish making good plays. However, Watertown-Mayer was able to keep close to Maple Lake, but the Irish pulled off a 25-21 win.
The Irish ruled the court in the second game, taking an early lead. As the game carried on, Maple Lake played good defense, returning the ball to Royal territory, and taking the second game 25-16.
After winning the first two games, the Irish felt confident about the third game, as the Royals began to crumble under the pressure. Keeping the ball off the floor, the Irish won the third game also with a score of 25-16, ending the match.
Brooke Decker led the team in sets with a total of 23 during the game. Decker, along with Lexi Pingel, had 12 digs. Shelby Rachel had a total of 10 kills throughout the game. Carissa Knott went 92% for serving, followed by Rachel Latour going 90% for serves.
Serv. Kills SA Digs
B. Decker        11/14 4 23     12
L. Pingel         11/14 –     –       12
J. Holm           –         –       2      
R. Latour     9/10 –     –       8
D. Hudek         – 4      –   –    
S. Knott       7/9 7     –       1
E. Bryant         –         –     1       1
S. Rachel       4/6 10   –       9
C. Knott         12/13 –     –     3
J. Puncochar   –       6     –    
Irish at Eden Valley-Watkins
Coming off a win against the Watertown-Mayer Royals just two days earlier, the Irish were ready to take on the Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles on Thursday, September 9.
The first game began with both teams showing no mercy. With the Eagles moving at a fast pace, the Irish stepped up to match their intensity, pulling off a win in game one 25-20.
Eden Valley-Watkins came back in the second game ready to fight. As the score went back and forth, the Eagles eventually gained a lead but the game came down to the final points, with Eden Valley-Watkins winning the second game 25-22.
The Irish picked it up in the third game, making smart plays and keeping the ball off the floor at all costs. With a score of 25-16, the Irish won the third game.
The Eagles started to feel the pressure in the fourth game as the Irish gained a strong lead right in the beginning. With Eden Valley-Watkins unable to stop Maple Lake, the game and match ended when the Irish scored 25 points, leaving the Eagles at 14.
As a team, the Irish went 85% with their serves, with Lexi Pingel and Sydney Knudsen both at 100%. Pingel also led the team in digs with a total of 24 during the game. Sami Knott had the most kills at 13, followed by Shelby Rachel with 12, and Brooke Decker led the team in sets, with a total of 31. After two wins in the week, the Irish are now 6-1 overall.  
Maple Lake hosted their first home game of the season against Annandale on Tuesday, September 14, and will be playing the Rockford Rockets at home on Thursday, September 16, starting at 7:15 p.m.
                       Serv. Kills SA Digs
B. Decker        11/16 7       31   14
L. Pingel         16/16 –     –       24
J. Holm           –         2       1      
R. Latour     11-16 –     –       3
D. Hudek         –         6     –       3
S. Knott       6/7 13     –      
E. Bryant         –         –     4       2
S. Rachel       9/10 12   –       15
C. Knott         20/22 –     –     5
S. Knudsen     4/4       –      –      
J. Puncochar   –       3      –     2
Irish at Watertown-Mayer
When the final bell rang at 2:55 p.m. on Sept. 7 after the first day of school, the Irish volleyball players’ minds switched from school mode to volleyball mode as they got on the bus heading to Watertown-Mayer.
Game one started out well with the Irish making good plays. However, Watertown-Mayer was able to keep close to Maple Lake, but the Irish pulled off a 25-21 win.
The Irish ruled the court in the second game, taking an early lead. As the game carried on, Maple Lake played good defense, returning the ball to Royal territory, and taking the second game 25-16.
After winning the first two games, the Irish felt confident about the third game, as the Royals began to crumble under the pressure. Keeping the ball off the floor, the Irish won the third game also with a score of 25-16, ending the match.
Brooke Decker led the team in sets with a total of 23 during the game. Decker, along with Lexi Pingel, had 12 digs. Shelby Rachel had a total of 10 kills throughout the game. Carissa Knott went 92% for serving, followed by Rachel Latour going 90% for serves.
Irish at Eden Valley-Watkins
Coming off a win against the Watertown-Mayer Royals just two days earlier, the Irish were ready to take on the Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles on Thursday, September 9.
The first game began with both teams showing no mercy. With the Eagles moving at a fast pace, the Irish stepped up to match their intensity, pulling off a win in game one 25-20.
Eden Valley-Watkins came back in the second game ready to fight. As the score went back and forth, the Eagles eventually gained a lead but the game came down to the final points, with Eden Valley-Watkins winning the second game 25-22.
The Irish picked it up in the third game, making smart plays and keeping the ball off the floor at all costs. With a score of 25-16, the Irish won the third game.
The Eagles started to feel the pressure in the fourth game as the Irish gained a strong lead right in the beginning. With Eden Valley-Watkins unable to stop Maple Lake, the game and match ended when the Irish scored 25 points, leaving the Eagles at 14.
More information and stats appear in this week’s Messenger.

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