GFW sweeps McLeod West

WINTHROP -- The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Thunderbirds overcame Game Two-itis Tuesday night as they swept the McLeod West Falcons 25-15, 26-24, 25-12 in their final Tomahawk Conference match of the season.

"All season we've had problems with Game Two's," GFW coach Bob Kaukola said. "We let down or something. Lot's of times it happens after we win game one. We haven't figured how to get rid of our funk. We have to learn to un-press by tournament time or it could cause de-depression for me."

For Falcons coach Jill Bussler, it's time for her 3-13, 1-8 in the conference team to find ways to win. "We're struggling mentally. We just have to step up and start passing the ball. The second game, we should have easily come out with a win."

Before the Falcons had their chance in Game Two, they didn't have much of a chance in Game One. The Thunderbirds dominated from the get-go, taking a 6-0 lead in no small part to Nea Harkness' two service aces and kills by Imia Hahn and Beckie Jackson. The Falcons staged a short comeback and were down by just three at 9-6 after a kill by Amy Paul, but back-to-back aces by Erin Pelzel moved GFW to a 13-6 margin.

McLeod West would get no closer to the lead than 18-13, with Tina Bruns delivering another ace for GFW, followed by back-to-back kills by Jackson. A kill by Harkness that went off the fingertips of the Falcons back row nailed down Game One.

Game Two was the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" game for the Falcons, who took command from the beginning. They got six of their first nine points from unforced Thunderbirds errors, along with aces by Brittany Ribar and Paul for a 9-5 lead.

GFW came back to knot the game at 10-10, but then the Falcons went on a 13-7 roll and took a 23-17 lead and what looked like a win to tie the series. But after a kill by Jackson, Amber Wortz went behind the service line for the Thunderbirds and started a comeback with an ace, followed by a kill and kill block by Megan Ahlbrecht. Harkness followed with a kill to make it 23-22, but then a tip kill by Kelsey Stockmann had the Falcons within a point of victory.

The Thunderbirds then staged their final comeback with a kill by Jackson, an unforced Falcons error and an ace by Harkness for the 26-24 win.

GFW smothered the Falcons early in Game Three, as Amber Vorwerk served eleven straight points that included five aces, two kill blocks by Hahn and a kill block and kill by Jackson. Down 11-1, the Falcons tried to rally, scoring five straight points. But the Thunderbirds would have none of it as they outscored the Falcons 10-3 and took an insurmountable 21-9 lead. They held on for the sweep.

Jackson led GFW with 10 kills, followed by Ahlbrecht and Wortz with six and Hahn and Pelzel contributing five. Wortz also had 25 set assists, five digs and three blocks. Hahn led in blocks with seven.

McLeod West was led by Paul with five kills, followed by Nikki Schlueter with four. Ribar had 11 set assists, while Schlueter had 14 digs and three blocks. Stockmann had seven digs, while Ribar had six digs.

GFW improves to 13-9-1, 6-3 conference and play Redwood Valley next Tuesday in Fairfax. McLeod West plays in a tournament Saturday.