No. 1 Tracy Area silences GFW volleyball's thunder

By JEREMY BEHNKE

Journal Sports Writer

REDWOOD FALLS -- The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop volleyball team saw just why Tracy Area was the No. 1 seed in the Section 3AA tournament as the Panthers swept the Thunderbirds 25-21, 25-23, 25-21 and ended GFW's season at 17-9.

GFW was able to stay close for all three games, but the Panthers were able to take advantage of a couple of Thunderbird miscues late in each game and hold on for the win.

"I think they were a lot more consistent with their attacking," GFW coach Bob Kaukola said. "We gave them too many chances, both by missing serves and by just making hitting errors and little things like that. All the games were close, but those little things make a huge difference in a close volleyball game."

GFW was led by Nikki Black, who finished with 12 kills and two ace serves. She also had four digs.

"I think they really kept their emotions together, even though they got yelled at by their team a lot," Black said. "We let things get into our head and some people can't handle that."

The Panthers got out to a fast start in Game 1, jumping out to an 8-4 lead on Laura Lanoue's kill. Cassie Schmidt's ace serve brought the Thunderbirds to within 12-6 and GFW came back, tying the game at 15-15.

After a Tracy Area timeout, the Panthers scored three straight points to go up 20-17. Tessa Nelson's kill ended the first game 25-21. She finished with five kills in Game 1.

"They have some nice hitters," Kaukola said. "Tessa Nelson's a nice hitter. She put a lot of balls away and their outsides stepped up tonight. I was somewhat surprised by how well their outsides played."

In Game 2, Black found a hole in the Panther defense and exploited it with three straight service aces to put the Thunderbirds up 8-5, forcing a Tracy Area timeout.

"[I was going] right for the middle of the floor," Black said. "They dropped in the middle and that's where they lacked passing skills."

Ashley Vorwerk's ace tip put the Thunderbirds up 15-13 and another Black kill made it 17-15. But Tracy Area didn't get down and once again turned the tables into their favor with Lanoue's kill to make it 20-19. Kasey Loeslie put the Panthers up 24-21 after her tip was mishandled by the Thunderbird defense. Nelson's kill ended it 25-23.

In Game 3, the Panthers jumped out to a 6-3 lead before the Thunderbirds came back and tied it on consecutive Vorwerk kills. Vorwerk finished with four digs and two service aces.

Bethany Werner's service ace brought the Thunderbirds to within 13-12 and another Werner ace made it 14-13. Black then pounded consecutive kills to make it 16-13.

The Panthers came back again and took a 20-18 lead on Loeslie's kill. Then, with the Panthers leading 22-21, Lanoue rattled off three consecutive service aces for the 25-21 win.

Emily VanHon had eight kills and one block for GFW and Ashley Busch and Alisha Kruggel each had six kills. Lindsey Kiecker had 34 set assists.

Despite the loss, Black is proud of what her and her teammates accomplished this season.

"I'm very pleased," Black said. "I've never been so in love with my whole team. I'm going to be very sad leaving, and I think that's why it's going to be so tough for us to leave."

Tracy Area meets Renville County West in the Section 3AA championship Friday in Redwood Falls.