Volleyball Hurons win districts; take on Charlevoix in Saturday regional
Those tough RC volleyball girls did it once again, and pulled the rabbit out of the hat with the district win on home court Saturday. The win puts the team in Saturday?s regional competition at Boyne City. The Hurons opened district play with Boyne City and swept the Ramblers in two, 15-4 and 15-11, waiting on the outcome between Inland Lakes and Harbor Springs. The Rams prevailed in a two-game sweep, pushing the Bulldogs out of the running 15-13, 15-13. The final match between Harbor Springs and RC was met with Huron persistence in two 15-12 and 15-10 victories.
In the first match against Boyne City, the Hurons had no trouble in the first game but seemed to lag in the second, coming from behind in the final half 7-9 on a Lindsey Fleming service for the go-ahead 10-9. Good teamwork prevailed, and Ashley Fleming contributed one point on her service when Lauren Fairbanks smashed a kill over the net.
Megan Grulke added two aces topped off by Megan Hanson?s service with an ace and another good one on a Fairbanks kill for the win. In the final match, it was a point-for-point scoring tedium with both RC abd Harbor Springs displaying determination on the court and at the net.
WHEN HANSON took the service, the Hurons were behind 8-10 and with Fairbanks? kills, three points were added, 11-10. The Rams seemed tired, hitting the net with serves, and it was all the Hurons needed. Fairbanks served up two good ones on an Ashley Fleming kill (13-10), but the Rams got their second wind and came back within one, 13-12. Becky Bruning added the 14th point on her serve and Lindsey Fleming finished up the bid with the final point, 15-12.
That left only one more game standing in the way of the winner?s trophy. It was three services before the Hurons drew first blood and only one point. It was 15 services and the score was only 2-2, but Grulke made a bid on her service, scoring one on a Fairbanks kill, a second on a Bruning bump, and a third on a Fairbanks tip for a 5-2 lead. After 27 services the score remained at 7-6, Hurons leading. Then both teams took turns adding to the points, 9-9, then Hurons 12-9, yet it took 18 more services before the Hurons inched their way to the top, appropriately on Fairbanks? service with a kill of her own and topped off with an Ashley Fleming kill for the win, 15-10.
?WHEW HOO!? said an elated coach Kristi Smolinski. ?I was telling Karl Grambau that hosting our own tournament was not a plus factor as they don?t seem to play as well on home court,? she said.
?Today they didn?t seem to play up to the potential that they are capable of. But the final match they started clicking. ?I?m pleased with how they did but we still have a lot of work to do before the Saturday regional play begins.? The Huron match record stands at 35-18-4 and the conference record is 28-2.
For the day Saturday, Fairbanks led the team with 30 kills, 37 digs, 18 set assists, one block and three aces, followed by Ashley Fleming with 17 kills, 20 digs, four blocks, three aces. Grulke added three kills, 25 digs, one set assist, and four aces, while Bruning had 10 kills, 17 digs and two set assists. Hanson contributed 26 digs, 42 set assists
The Hurons defeated the Blue Devils 15-6, 6-15 and 15-10, but were stung by the Hornets, ranked the number 2 team in Class D, 16-14, 5-15 and 11-15. Fairbanks led the effort with 31 kills, 24 digs, 12 assists and four serving aces. Ashley Fleming added 24 digs, 19 kills, five blocks and two aces, while Hanson had 41 assists, seven digs and four aces.
Bruning contributed 10 kills, 18 digs, two blocks, two assists and two aces, while Grulke added four kills, 26 digs and four aces.
The Hurons will travel to Boyne City for regional play against Charlevoix, the winners of the Suttons Bay district, at 11:30 a.m. Also competing in the regionals are Fife Lake and Kingsley.