Lady Bulldogs take 3-1 Win over Hamlin

The Milbank Area Lady Bulldogs improved their overall season record to 9-8 with a 3-1 victory over Hamlin Thursday, October 1, in a road contest.

Milbank Area got out to a very quick start and led 10-5 early in the first set. Caryssa Mielitz pounded out four big kills and dropped in an ace in the opening stint. The Lady Bulldogs fell apart a bit and committed several errors which allowed Hamlin to sneak back into the match and knot the score up at 15-15 and again at 17-17. That was as close as the Chargers would get. Rachelle Gabriel added two kills to help Milbank Area go ahead at 22-18. Mielitz closed out the set with two kills to give the Bulldogs the 25-22 first set win.

Katie Cannedy started out the second set with two aces, followed by a kill by Molly Rick to take a quick 3-0 lead. The Lady Bulldogs maintained the lead throughout most of the match, but got a little too relaxed and Hamlin came back to tie the score up late in the game at 17-17 and again at 19-19. The teams teetered back and forth and Milbank Area found themselves behind at 20-24. A kill by Rick and an ace by Mackayla Schuelke, along with an error by the opponent, allowed the Lady Bulldogs to tie the score at 24-24. Milbank Area lost the last two point on errors and Hamlin was given the second set win at 24-26.

The Lady Bulldogs got down to business and began playing to their potential in the final two sets. Milbank Area collected the third set at 25-13 and the fourth at 25-12 to secure the victory.

Mielitz led the Lady Bulldog attack with 23 kills on 26-32 hitting, 2-5 serving with two aces, nine digs and one block. Rick followed with 13 kills on 17-22 hitting, 11-11 serving and 14 digs while Gabriel added seven kills on 8-9 hitting and two blocks. Cannedy went 11-13 hitting with six kills, 15-17 serving with three aces and 16 digs. Mikaela Hoeke was 17-17 hitting with two kills, 11-11 serving, 34 assists, 17 digs and one block while Schuelke had two aces on 6-9 serving, four assists and 10 digs. Madi Schulte went 9-10 serving with an ace and 17 digs while MyKayla Thyne added three digs. Tori Brandenburger went 2-3 hitting and had one assist, and Alexis Folk entered the lineup and contributed 4-4 hitting and one block for the Lady Bulldogs.