Volleyball team loses in Section 2A Quarterfinals; finishes season

MANKATO — A promising season came to an end Monday for the Knights.

The Waterville-Elysian-Morristown volleyball team swept Alden-Conger 3-0 Monday night at Mankato West High School in the Section 2A quarterfinals. Game scores were 25-10, 25-3 and 25-9; and the loss ended the Knights’ season.

Alden-Conger’s record for the season is 16-10 overall and 7-3 in the Valley Conference.

“Overall we had a very good season,” said Alden-Conger coach Jolene Bute. “It’s obviously a winning season.”

Bute said Monday’s match was the biggest deal of any game most of her players have ever played in. She attributed that, and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown’s recent move from 1A to 2A as major hurdles for her players.

Bute said the Knights will lose four seniors to graduation this spring, leading her remaining and new players to work on fundamentals in the offseason.

Senior Madison Erickson was one of the Knights’ leaders in numbers Monday with nine digs, two assists and one kill. Renae Linn and Lexi Jahnke, also seniors, contributed as well — Linn with three kills, one dig and a block; and Jahnke with two digs and a kill.

Bute praised her seniors, as well as the team’s fans for carrying the Knights through the season.

“We’ve had phenomenal fan support,” she said. “It’s hard to end on a note like this.”