Volleyball: Paynesville, BBE look to turn fortunes around
Nov. 4—The Paynesville and Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa volleyball teams both suffered gut-wrenching defeats to end 2021.
The two teams made their respective section finals, only to see their seasons end in five-set losses. Paynesviille fell in the Section 3AA championship to Jackson County Central. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa lost in the 6A championship to Breckenridge.
The Bulldogs and Jaguars are once again one victory away from reaching the state tournament. And they're looking to avoid the same fate.
The state volleyball tournament takes place Nov. 9-12 from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Winning the 3AA-North sub-section for the second straight year, Paynesville is looking for its first state tournament berth. In order to accomplish that, the Bulldogs must beat the South sub-section champion Pipestone. The two teams square off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the R/A Facility at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
"I'm looking forward to the atmosphere and having a shot with our team to go to state — we've never been there," Bulldogs senior libero Emma Stanley said following her team's four-set win over Minnewaska in the North sub-section championship on Thursday.
"I think we have a very good shot if we play good and keep up our energy."
Paynesville is 21-5 and sports a 10-0 record against section opponents. The Bulldogs are ranked 21st in Class AA in the QRF standings from Minnesota-Scores.net.
To advance to the section finals, the Bulldogs beat Minnewaska 25-20, 25-16, 24-26, 25-9.
Against Minnewaska, junior Emma Flanders led the Bulldogs with 22 kills along with six digs and a block. Sophomore setter Rayna Spanier had 36 set assists and five ace serves. Kyleigh Tangen finished with 13 kills and 11 digs.
The top seed in the South, Pipestone made the section final after defeating No. 3 seed Windom, 25-15, 25-12, 25-12.
The Arrows were led by outside hitter Kyla Hubbling in their win over the Eagles. Hubbling had 13 kills and nine digs, according to the Worthington Globe. Melody Remund finished with 17 digs and Arinn McGee had four kills and four blocks.
Pipestone has a 25-5 record, including an 8-0 mark against the section. It is ninth in the QRF. The Arrows look to go to state for the fourth time, with the last trip coming in 2006.
BBE is no stranger to the state volleyball tournament. The Jaguars qualified for the tournament in 2018 and '19 and have six trips in school history (seven including Belgrade's trip in 1984).
To get back to state, BBE has to beat another team looking to return to state after a trip in 2019: Henning.
The Jaguars and Hornets meet for the 6A championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fergus Falls High School.
"They want it," BBE head coach Alanna Hunter said about her team Thursday to the Alexandria Echo Press. "They want it so bad after last year's result."
The Jaguars have not dropped a set so far in the section tournament. In the North sub-section championship Thursday, top-seeded BBE cruised to a 25-18, 25-20, 25-12 victory against second-seeded Brandon-Evansville.
Versus the Chargers, Brooklyn Fischer dominated in an 18-kill, eight-dig, two-ace effort. Abby Berge and Ava Mueller each finished with eight kills, with Mueller scooping up 12 digs. Kylie Weller had 39 set assists, and Harley Roering had 27 digs in the back row.
BBE is 24-6 heading into Saturday's match, with a 6-0 section record. It is ninth in the QRF Class A rankings.
In the North sub-section final Thursday, Henning advanced with a 25-18, 25-21, 25-21 victory against Breckenridge.
The Hornets sport a 25-5 record, including 12-0 against section foes. They are ranked seventh in the QRF.
