photo by Nick Gerhardt

April Davies, lower right, erupts after Glenville-Emmons won the second set 25-21 Monday against Medford in Glenville. The Wolverines rallied from behind in the final two sets for a 3-0 victory over the Tigers.

Energetic Wolverines rally past Medford 3-0

By Nick Gerhardt | Albert Lea Tribune

Published Tuesday, October 27, 2009

GLENVILLE — An energized Glenville-Emmons volleyball team was able to shake off the cobwebs of a week layoff and deliver a 3-0 victory over Medford Monday in the first round of the 1A west subsection playoffs in Glenville.

In front of a lively crowd the seventh-seeded Wolverines (9-14) swept the eighth seeded Tigers 25-19, 25-21, 25-19, but needed to come from behind in the final two sets.

“I’ve never seen the gym so excited and upbeat before,” said senior setter April Davies. “It was exciting. They really got us going, wanting us eager to win.”

Each set was an opportunity for a different player to make an impact for Glenville-Emmons. In the first set it was Alayna Hall, the second Kalli VanRyswyk and the third Emily Belshan.

Hall’s energy and hitting helped lead the Wolverines to a quick start as they led by as much as seven points in the later stages.

“I thought we had a little bit more hitting power than they did, but they were digging everything,” said Wolverines head coach Lisa Ziebell. “It was much closer than a 3-0 match.”

Medford (4-20) came back for three consecutive points when facing the game point, but Glenville-Emmons finally put the Tigers away 25-19.

In the second game VanRyswyk’s serving got the Wolverines back on track as they battled back from three points to go ahead four.

VanRyswyk, who also had five kills, served four consecutive points, including two aces, and finished the game 12 for 16 with 10 points and six aces.

Glenville-Emmons was down 5-1 to start the third set, but eventually took a lead at 15-14 behind some timely kills from Belshan, who had four of her five kills in the final set.

Belshan gave the Wolverines some breathing room when she came up with a big kill to give Glenville-Emmons a 20-18 lead and later added a block to make the third set 23-19 before Davies ended the match with a serve that hit the net and fell over to Medford’s side.

Kailey Davis and Reina Saltou gave the Wolverines a boost on defense as Davis finished with 25 digs and Saltou tallied 18.

The Wolverines advance to the next round to face Hayfield, the No. 2 seed in the west subsection, Thursday in Hayfield.

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