Quick start in fifth set leads to victory

A fast start in the decisive set was exactly what the Kernels needed.

Mitchell (4-1) got out to a 5-0 lead in the fifth set to lift it over the Brandon Valley Lynx 3-2 Thursday night in a high school volleyball match at the high school gymnasium.

“I thought we were focused and wanted to set a statement,” said head coach Deb Thill, whose team won by set scores of 25-19, 21-25, 25-16, 24-26, 15-8. “We were serving and swinging aggressive in the fifth set, and it was fun to watch.”

The victory was Mitchell’s first five-set match of the year.

Middle-hitter Taylin Alm led the Kernels with 16 kills and six blocks, while Megan Farnham went 24-of-24 serving and added 19 digs.

Throughout the game, the teams had long rallies and back-and-forth sets, but it was Mitchell that withstood the Lynx at the end of the match.

“I thought we adjusted very well defensively, but they adjusted to us as the game went as well,” Thill said. “If you’re still swinging hard at the end of long rallies like our kids were, that’s awesome to see.”

Thill said her team got out of the gates strong in the first set and again in set three. But when the Kernels looked to finish the game at the end of the fourth set, communication errors were their downfall, pushing the game to a fifth set.

“We were out of rotation and that kind of got into our heads a little bit,” Thill said. “But if that happens early in the season, you’re not going to make that mistake again.”

Setter Kendra Morgan had 31 assists, seven digs, four blocks and three aces, middle-hitter Kerri Young recorded nine kills and two blocks and outside-hitter Sidney Neugebauer added 11 digs and four aces for the Kernels.

Next, the Kernels play another Eastern South Dakota conference team as they host Huron at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. The game is a part of the annual Corn Palace Classic, hosted by Dakota Wesleyan University.

“It’s more of an arena-type feel rather than our gym,” Thill said. “Our kids love to play in the Corn Palace. If we can get a big crowd over there, and if everyone is behind us like they are here then it will be helpful.”

JV: Brandon Valley, 25-18, 22-25, 25-14: Mitchell’s Rachel Bucholz had seven kills, three digs and one block, Trisha Flemmer recorded six digs and four aces and Kristi Anderson added 13 digs.

Sophomores: Mitchell,25-21, 25-9: Mitchell’s Kaley Nolz had four kills and five aces. Brenna Morgan recorded eight assists and four digs, and Ally Goldammer had four kills.

Freshmen A: Brandon Valley, 18-25, 25-21, 25-18: Mitchell’s Tally Person had six aces and four kills, Brenna Morgan had seven assists and Ally Goldammer had four kills, three aces and one block.

Freshmen B: Mitchell, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21

Sub-varsity games to be held at the high school Saturday

The Mitchell varsity team plays at the Corn Palace Saturday at the Corn Palace Classic, but the school’s three sub-varsity volleyball games will still be played at the high school.

The freshmen A and junior varsity teams start at 5:15 p.m. and the sophomores start at 6:30 p.m.

Tags: sports, updates, volleyball, mitchell