Lady Bulldogs Challenge the Chargers

The Lady Bulldogs volleyball team attacked the Hamlin Chargers but suffered a 3-1 loss Thursday, September 28, on the road. Milbank will host two home matches next week – Tuesday, October 3, with Deubrook, and Thursday, October 5, with Ortonville.

In the Hamin match, hitting and serve-receive errors by the Lady Bulldogs resulted in a 18-25 first set loss. Milbank got out to a slow start in the second set and trailed 3-9, when Coach Nancy Hoeke called a time out. After the break, the Lady Bulldogs, sparked by an ace by Maty Lightfield and a kill by Jaecy Engebretson, went on a five-point run to bring the score to 8-10. Milbank continued on another run of five consecutive points to take the lead at 13-11. Engebretson, Gabbi Cummins, Maty Lightfield, and Makayla Johnson all had kills. Hamlin then scored nine points to snatch back the lead at 15-24. Milbank eventually fell at 18-25.

The third set was similar. The teams stayed close until Hamlin took charge at 11-18. The Chargers committed several unforced errors which allowed Milbank to pull to within three points at 21-24. Molly Rick pounded down a kill before Hamlin hit the ball into the net to cut the deficit to 23-24. Another error by the Chargers evened things up at 24-24. Johnson dropped in a serving ace, and Cummins’ kill secured the 26-24 win to keep the match alive.

Another close set ensued. Hamlin slowly took the lead at 5-10 and again at 11-16. The Charges won the final set and match at 17-25.

Rick led the Lady Bulldogs with 18 kills on 50-61 hitting, 8-9 serving, and 36 digs. Engebretson followed with 12 kills on 53-60 hitting, 14 assists on 53-53 setting, one ace on 10-10 serving, and 19 digs. Cummins contributed seven kills on 27-33 hitting, four assists on 25-26 setting, 8-10 serving, and 11 digs.

Jaden Hoeke had two kills on 12-16 hitting, 11-11 serving, two blocks, and 16 digs; Maty Lightfield, 17 assists on 90-91 setting, one ace on 9-10 serving, and 24 digs; Johnson, 1 kill on 14-17 hitting, one ace on 10-13 serving, one block, and nine digs. Katie Wollschlager and Tonya Meyer had three digs each.