Knights seize playoff momentum

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 22, 1999

ALDEN – After a humbling yet encouraging showing last weekend, the Alden-Conger volleyball team gathered some momentum entering sub-section play.

Friday, October 22, 1999

ALDEN – After a humbling yet encouraging showing last weekend, the Alden-Conger volleyball team gathered some momentum entering sub-section play.

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The Knights, who played well while going 1-3 in the Apple Valley Invitational, finished the regular season with a hard-fought 3-2 Gopher Conference victory over Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at Alden Tuesday night. The Knights won 15-13, 10-15, 12-15, 15-8, 15-13.

&uot;It was a great match,&uot; said Knights coach Jenny Hanson. &uot;It’s great to end the regular season with a win.&uot;

The Knights served an impressive 95 percent, 111-for-117, led by Shelly Zeller at 23-for-23 with three aces, Tessa Niebuhr 17-for-17 with one ace and Alison Newman 20-for-22 with five aces.

Niebuhr led a balanced offensive attack, going 57-for-61 with 20 kills. Emily Brummer was 38-for-46 with 17 kills, Rachael Nelson 19-for-24 with nine kills and Kristen Martinson 11-for-11 with five kills.

Shelly Zeller and Diana Wichmann split the setting duties, with Zeller going 81-for-83 with 23 assists and Wichmann 68-for-69 with 21 assists.

The Knights were also strong on serve receive, 93-for-98 for 95 percent. Wichmann was 19-for-19, Niebuhr 18-for-19, Brummer 27-for-28.

Niebuhr was 14-for-14 blocking with seven solos.

&uot;Tessa was really strong at the net and made some very smart plays at crucial times,&uot; said Hanson. &uot;Alison Newman had some great serving streaks for us in games four and five.&uot;

At Apple Valley, the Knights opened with a 15-3, 15-8 loss to Woodbury. They bounced back to defeat Somerset, Wis. 16-14, 15-6, then lost to Mabel-Canton 13-15, 15-7, 15-8 and to Byron 15-8, 15-0.

The Knights served 91 percent as a team, going 169-for-186. The leaders were Zeller, 31-for-33; Wichmann, 24-for-25; Brummer, 38-for-43; Newman, 19-for-22; Niebuhr, 30-for-31.

Niebuhr led with 26 kills, followed by Nelson with 20, Brummer 14 and Newman nine. Zeller had 40 set assists, Wichmann 36.

&uot;It was a fun tournament,&uot; said Hanson. &uot;It was great to be able to play against Mabel-Canton and know that we can beat them. It was a great experience for all our players.&uot;

The Knights, who finished 9-5 and in third place in the Gopher Conference, open sub-section play next week.