NYM falls to Underwood in five sets

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

With upset on their minds, the New York Mills Eagles avenged a loss just one week earlier to Henning and came just a few points away from knocking off second seeded Underwood in the sub section semi-finals on Friday night. 

NY Mills went on the road on Wednesday night and swept the third seeded Hornets 3-0, and fell to Underwood 3-2 in a thrilling five game set on Friday night to end their season in the sub section semi-finals. 

The Eagles finished their season with a record of 15-14 overall and 3-4 in the Park Region Conference. 

Second seeded Underwood will take on fifth seeded Hillcrest on Thursday night in Fergus Falls in the sub section championship. On the other side of the bracket the top seeded Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars will take on second seeded West Central Area Knights in the south sub section championship game. 

Wednesday

One week after being swept by Henning in their Park Region Conference finale, the NY Mills Eagles flipped the script on the Hornets and came away with an upset in the opening round of the sub section tournament. The Eagles jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back in the first game as the Eagles secured a 25-21 win. 

The sixth seeded Eagles once again jumped out to an early lead in the second game and forced a number of third seeded Hornet errors on their way to a 25-15 win in the second game, before completing the three game sweep by winning the third game by a score of 25-21. 

Grace Brasel had one of her best offensive games of the season at the net as she finished with a team-high 12 kills and 10 digs. Ayla Olson and Alayna Baune each finished with 9 kills, while Annika Dunrud finished with 7 kills of her own. 

Olson finished with a team-high 19 digs, while Kalyn Balbach finished with 14 and Gabi Vaden finished with 11 digs. Haley Korkowski led the team with 22 assists and Dunrud finished with a team-high 4 aces. 

Friday

NY Mills had upset on its mind for the second time in three nights as the sixth seeded Eagles traveled to second seeded Underwood on Friday night. The Eagles fell to Underwood 2-0 in the annual Underwood Tournament just one week ago, but secured the all-important first game of the night on Friday by a score of 25-20. 

Unfortunately, the Rockets powered past the Eagles in a pair of close games in the second and third game by scores of 25-23, 25-21 to put NY Mills’ season in peril heading into the fourth game. 

In one of the most exciting games of the tournament so-far, the Eagles were able to survive a potent Rocket offensive attack to secure a 27-25 win to force a fifth and final game in an exciting sub section semi-final contest.

The Eagles and Rockets traded points throughout the fifth game before the Rockets were able to pull away late to come away with a 15-11 win and secure the 3-2 victory over the upset minded Eagles. 

NYM vs. HHS

SERVING: Kalyn Balbach 16-17 (1 ace), Haley Korkowski 9-9, Grace Brasel 5-6, Ayla Olson 12-13, Annika Dunrud 17-18 (4 ace), Gabi Vaden 10-10 (1 ace)

KILLS: Kalyn Balbach 1, Alayna Baune 9, Grace Brasel 12, Ayla Olson 9, Annika Dunrud 7, Chloe Costin 2, Gabi Vaden 1

BLOCKS: Haley Korkowski 1, Alayna Baune 3, Ayla Olson 2, Chloe Costin 1

ASSISTS: Haley Korkowski 22, Grace Brasel 1, Ayla Olson 9, Annika Dunrud 1, Chloe Costin 6

DIGS: Kalyn Balbach 14, Haley Korkowski 3, Grace Brasel 10, Ayla Olson 19, Annika Dunrud 4, Chloe Costin 2, Gabi Vaden 11

NYM vs. UHS

SERVING: Kalyn Balbach 6-6, Haley Korkowski 23-23 (2 ace), Grace Brasel 21-22 (3 ace), Ayla Olson 17-17 (3 ace), Annika Dunrud 17-17, Belle Vaden 10-10 (1 ace), Gabi Vaden 13-13

KILLS: Alayna Baune 14, Grace Brasel 4, Ayla Olson 20, Annika Dunrud 13, Chloe Costin 2

BLOCKS: Haley Korkowski 2, Alayna Baune 5, Ayla Olson 3, Annika Dunrud 4, Chloe Costin 3

ASSISTS: Haley Korkowski 31, Ayla Olson 18, Chloe Costin 2

DIGS: Kalyn Balbach 4, Haley Korkowski 18, Alayna Baune 2, Grace Brasel 24, Ayla Olson 36, Annika Dunrud 4, Chloe Costin 2, Belle Vaden 6, Gabi Vaden 25