Lady Bulldogs End State Volleyball On a Win

The Lady Bulldogs finished the State Class A high school volleyball tournament with a 3-0 victory over Mobridge-Pollock today in Watertown. The win secured a seventh place finish in the tournament. Milbank Area completed the 2016 season with a 20-8 record.

In the first set, the Lady Bulldogs trailed 9-5 and again at 12-7. They settled down and went on a nine-point run to take the advantage at 16-12. The lead did not last, though, as Mobridge-Pollock evened the score at 22-22 and again at 24-24. The teams exchanged kills to knot things up again at 25-25. Mobridge-Pollock then committed two hitting errors to give Milbank Area the 27-25 first set victory.

Midway through the second set, Milbank Area led 13-12. Kills by Caryssa Mielitz and Mikaela Hoeke and an ace by Jaecy Engebretson widened the gap to 16-12. The Lady Bulldogs continued to push ahead and widened the gap to 20-15 after a kill and two aces by Mielitz. Milbank Area won the second set at 25-16.

The Lady Bulldogs took charge in the third set. They led at 7-4 and soared ahead to 17-7. The remainder of the match was highlighted by aces from M. Hoeke and Mackayla Schuelke and a kill by Molly Rick. Milbank Area secured the victory at 25-13.

Mielitz led the Lady Bulldogs with 15 kills on 35-36 hitting, two aces on 8-10 serving, 7-7 setting, and five digs. Rick followed with 12 kills on 27-37 hitting, 7-9 serving, 4-4 setting, and 12 digs. M. Hoeke tallied 19 assists on 52-52 setting, two aces on 10-11 serving, three kills on 15-16 hitting, and 18 digs. Schuelke added 12 assists on 39-39 setting, two aces on 10-10 serving, and 13 digs. Engebretson contributed four kills on 12-14 hitting, one ace on 22-22 serving, and seven digs.

Other contributors included: Maty Lightfield, two aces on 9-9 serving, 3-3 setting, and nine digs; Jaden Hoeke, 10-10 setting, one kill on 4-7 hitting, and two digs; Madi Schulte, one assist on 2-2 setting and 10 digs; Mady Hilbrands, one kill on 4-6 hitting and two digs; and LaChasity Finley, 3-3 hitting, 2-2 setting, and three digs.