Jacks volleyball falls to Moorhead

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Sept. 23, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

The Lumberjacks volleyball team continued to show its progression as a program Tuesday as they dropped a four-set match to powerful Moorhead 15-9, 13-15, 15-9, 15-7.

The Jacks, coming off a tournament win at the Crosby-Ironton invite this weekend, at times slumped but hung around long enough to force the Spuds to four games.

"I think this is the best we've ever played a Moorhead match," coach Joan McKinnon said Tuesday.

Bemidji was led by seniors Kendra Goetz and Megan Benson and Junior Rena Ellis. Benson, along with her front line companions, matched many of the Spuds' blocks, especially in the second and fourth games.

Ellis, a defensive specialist, often made spectacular digs that kept more than a handful of Jacks rallies alive. And Goetz, considered by many the emotional heart of team, kept the Jacks focused while delivering some booming kills from the outside.

The loss dropped Bemidji to 7-4 on the season, with four of the wins coming this weekend at the Crosby-Ironton tourney. Moorhead improved to 6-3.

In the first game, an aggressive Jacks team set the Spuds on their heels, taking a 4-0 lead before giving up their first points.

Moorhead battled back and a dogfight ensued through the middle points until the Spuds pulled away.

Behind at 9-8, the Spuds used the power of senior hitter Abby Bloch on four kills, a service ace and a Jacks' hitting error to build a 14-9 lead. After a sideout, they finished the game on a BHS hitting error.

In the second, Bemidji didn't back down as they won 15-13 in a marathon game that featured several sputtered starts by both teams.

The Jacks' only string of points came at three, four and five in which Benson played a part on blocking two them and the other came on a Spuds hitting error.

Otherwise, Bemidji garnered only a point here or there while their foes moved ahead in spurts as well. BHS completed the game on two service aces, three kills, and five straight Moorhead errors.

Game three and four, although contested by Bemidji, were dominated by the Spuds' front line, especially Bloch, who had several kills each game.

In the third, Moorhead strung together sets of three and two points several times to quickly outpace the Jacks, but Bemidji, trailing 9-3 at one point, chipped the lead away to lose 15-9.

The fourth set was Bemidji's testament to their improvement as they came back from a 12-0 Spuds' lead to lose 15-7. The overmatched Bemidji team showed poise when needed, and made Moorhead fight to close the match.

All Jacks' squads will next compete Thursday at Park Rapids.

"B" Team

The Jacks "B" Team improved to 8-3 with a victory over Moorhead 15-4, 15-9.

Sophomore middle hitter Megan Sweeney recorded a handful of blocks as she dominated play at the net, and setter Amanda Reierson led the team with some intelligent play calling and passing, according to coach Bruce Manske.

"C" Team

Julie Bordwell's "C" Team notched another victory in their banner season, improving to 12-0-1. They avenged a tie to the Spuds at a tourney this weekend with a straight set 15-6, 15-7 win Tuesday.