Bulldogs Fall in State Quarterfinals

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

In a match played in less the one hour Thursday afternoon the Carlton Bulldogs girls volleyball team ran into a buzz saw as the Minneota Vikings swept the Bulldogs in the state quarterfinals of the state class A volleyball tournament

The Vikings who were playing in their fifth consecutive state tournament took to the first game if the match with  25-21 victory in the first set of the match The first set of the match saw both team battle back and forth but in the end it was the Vikings who pulled out the first win of the match.

With the Vikings leading 1-0 the Bulldogs were hoping to even the match in the second set but it was not to be as 11 attack errors by the Bulldogs and several small mini runs in the second set which propelled the Vikings to a 2-0 after the first two sets.

Carlton was hoping to come from behind in the third set of the match, but it wasn’t going to be the Bulldogs day as Minneota went on a 10-1 run after the set was tied at 4-4 and that run gave the Vikings a 14-6 lead. Carlton had on big run left as Jessica Stanslaski reeled off six straight points to cut the Vikings lead to three at 15-12, but Carlton never got any closer as Minneota went on to a 25-18 victory.

Division 1 prospect Taylor Reiss led the Vikings with 16 kills and 2 blocks and her team mate Megan Larson ended with 32 set assists as the Vikings advance to the semifinals on Friday where they will face Southwest Christian in the Class A semi finals. The other semifinal will feature Fillmore Central as they will take on Win-e-Mac.

The Bulldogs move into the consolation round where they will face Martin County West in one consolation match up while the other will have Ada-Borup vs Nevis.

The Bulldogs were led by Macy Belich who finished with 9 kills, Grace Macor had 6 kills, and it was Brianna Walton who had 10 set assists for the Bulldogs who fall to 26-6 on the season