VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The Valley City Hi-Liner volleyball team continued its strong start to the season Monday night, pulling away late in each of the first two sets before cruising in the third for a 25-23, 25-23, 25-16 sweep of Medina-Pingree/Buchanan.
The Thunder raced out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set, but Valley City gradually chipped away and eventually pulled even at 12-12.
After the Hi-Liners created some separation and took a 16-13 lead, MPB responded coming out of a timeout. The Thunder quickly seized control and moved in front 22-20, forcing Valley City to take a timeout of its own.
The Hi-Liners responded when it mattered most. A series of MPB unforced errors opened the door, and Valley City scored five of the final six points. Sophomore Jaye Potratz finished the comeback with a kill, giving the Hi-Liners a 25-23 victory.
The second set appeared to be headed toward a more comfortable Valley City win. The Hi-Liners jumped out to a 15-6 advantage, but MPB senior Destiny Opp refused to let the Thunder fade away.
Opp repeatedly delivered kills to keep MPB within striking distance, and her efforts helped spark a late comeback. Valley City still held a 19-11 lead before the Thunder went on a 8-2 run to cut the deficit to 21-19 and force another Hi-Liner timeout.
Valley City responded with three straight points to reach set point, but MPB again fought back. Strong defensive play and the serving of senior Jasmine Houmann helped the Thunder close the gap to 24-23.
Freshman Kiersten Klabo then delivered a perfectly placed tip that landed for the set-winning point, giving Valley City another 25-23 victory.
The third set began much like the first, with the teams battling back and forth and eventually tied at 12-12.
This time, however, the Hi-Liners found a way to pull away without the drama.
Valley City erupted for an 8-1 run to take a 20-13 lead and force an MPB timeout. The Thunder made one final push, cutting the deficit to 21-16, but a series of attacking errors ended the comeback attempt.
Valley City closed out the set 25-16 to complete the sweep.
The Hi-Liners will face their next test Tuesday in Fargo in a Region 1 showdown against Fargo Oak Grove. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m., with coverage available on 1490 AM/96.3 FM KOVC and online at NewsDakota.com.
