NYM receives fifth seed in sub section tournament

Photo by Chad Koenen
Chloe Costin and Alayna Baune attempt to block a shot during a game earlier this season. The Eagles will head to Park Christian this week for the Section 6A opener.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The New York Mills Eagles will hit the road to kick off the Section 6A volleyball tournament this week.

Photo by Chad Koenen
Ayla Olson sends a spike past a would-be blocker during a volleyball game in New York Mills earlier this season.

The Eagles, who received the fifth seed in a tough sub section tournament, will travel to Park Christian to take on the fourth seeded Falcons on Wednesday night. The Falcons edged the Eagles 3-2 in a back-and-forth non-conference game on September 10 in their lone meeting of the season. 

Park Christian comes into the game with a record of 13-10 overall and a QRF of 59. The Eagles are 19-10 overall and have a QRF of 48, but received the fifth seed after falling to the Falcons earlier this season. 

The winner of Wednesday’s game will take on either top seeded Breckenridge or the winner of eighth seeded Battle Lake/ninth seeded Rothsay on Friday night at the high seed.

In addition to gearing up for the section tournament, the Eagles wrapped up their regular season with a tough 3-0 loss to Wadena-Deer Creek and a 2-2 finish in the annual Underwood Tournament. In Thursday’s tournament the Eagles fell to Underwood 2-0 and Roseau 2-1, before defeating Verndale and Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 2-0. 

The Eagles wrapped up their regular season with a record of 19-10 overall and 5-2 in the Park Region Conference. NY Mills finished in third place in the conference, behind just first place Wadena-Deer Creek and runner up Sebeka. 

Tuesday

NY Mills fell for just the second time in the Park Region Conference with a 3-0 loss to Wadena-Deer Creek. The Eagles fell 25-18, 25-20, 25-20 to the Wolverines to drop to 5-2 in the conference, which was good enough for third place atop a jam-packed conference season. The Wolverines finished in first place with a perfect 7-0 record, while Sebeka was second at 6-1. 

The Eagles were led offensively by Ayla Olson with 11 kills, while Alayna Baune had a solid night at the net with nine kills. Chloe Costin finished with a team-high nine assist, while Olson finished with 12 digs.

NYM, WDC

18-25, 20-25, 20-25

SERVING: Gabi Vaden 11-11, Ayla Olson 9-9 (2 ace), Chloe Costin 7-8, Kalyn Balbach 13-13 (2 ace), Annika Dunrud 7-9 (2 ace) Belle Vaden 8-9

KILLS: Ayla Olson 11, Alayna Baune 9, Annika Dunrud 4, Belle Vaden 2

BLOCKS: Chloe Costin 1, Alayna 3, Alivia Preuss 3

ASSISTS: Gabi Vaden 2, Ayla Olson 7, Chloe Costin 9, Alayna Baune 1, Annika Dunrud 4

DIGS: Gabi Vaden 9, Ayla Olson 12, Chloe Costin 1, Alayna Baune 1, Kalyn Balbach 3, Annika Dunrud 4, Belle Vaden 7, Alivia Preuss 1

Underwood Tournament

SERVING: Ayla Olson 33-33 (1 ace), Annika Dunrud 22-26 (4 ace), Gabi Vaden 40-40 (1 ace), Belle Vaden 37-39 (4 ace), Chloe Costin 25-26 (1 ace), Kalyn Balbach 33-35 (3 ace)

KILLS: Ayla Olson 51, Annika Dunrud 21, Alayna Baune 20, Belle Vaden 2, Chloe Costin 8, Alivia Preuss 1, Eliyana Ruther 1

BLOCKS: Ayla Olson 5, Annika Dunrud 6, Alayna Baune 9, Belle Vaden 2, Chloe Costin 4, Alivia Preuss 2, Eliyana Ruther 1

ASSISTS: Ayla Olson 34, Annika Dunrud 18, Alayna Baune 2, Gabi Vaden 1, Belle Vaden 2, Chloe Costin 38, Alivia Preuss 1, Kalyn Balbach 1

DIGS: Ayla Olson 49, Annika Dunrud 14, Alayna Baune 3, Gabi Vaden 46, Belle Vaden 11, Chloe Costin 6, Alivia Preuss 4, Kalyn Balbach 17, Eliyana Ruther 3