Tigers Prove Too Much For AlBrook

Wes Vork-NSO

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Oct 5

Andrew Chalberg-NSO

ALBROOK – The AlBrook gym was packed Tuesday night as the Falcons looked to stay in the race for the St. Louis County volleyball conference championship. The visiting Cherry Tigers had plans also as they were looking to all but clinch the conference crown. The Tigers moved a step closer to a conference championship with a sweep of the Falcons in three straight sets 25-16, 25-21 and 25-15.

Cherry 14-2 (5-0 in the conference) was paced by 6’2 Senior Morgan Hanson, who towered over the net with fifteen kills along with fifteen Digs and Junior Taylor Sauter’s 10 Kills and 3 digs. AlBrook coach Brad Olesiak told NSO that “Cherry’s outside hitting and his teams passing mistakes kept his Lady Falcons frustrated throughout the match.”

The Lady Falcons worked the whole game and did not give up as all three matches were very competitive. The Tigers and Falcons matched point for point throughout the first two sets and neither team had more than a four point lead.

AlBrook was paced by eighth grader Justice Janke’s six kills, six digs, and four ace serves and Junior Kourtney Karppinen’s eight kills, eight digs and two blocks. However in the third and deciding set, the Falcons hopes of rallying from a 19-13 deficit were quickly ended as Hanson’s hammering spike ended the AlBrook’s valiant effort to force a fourth set.

The Falcons 10-5 (4-2 in the conference) were coming off with two big wins in the Virginia Invitational on Saturday and now look to get back in the win column as they play Cotton on Thursday before closing out the regular season against Proctor, MIB, Ely and Wrenshall.

Andrew Chalberg can be reached at andrew@northlandsportsonline.com