Indians Edge Wolves At Tourney
The Poplar Indians opened the District 2B volleyball tournament by downing Wolf Point, 25-12, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18, in Malta on Thursday, Oct. 31.
The Indians jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the opening set with the serving of Rebecca Gorder and net play of Lilliana O’Neal highlighting action.
A spike by Lanie Moran put Poplar ahead by a 14-4 lead, but the Wolves battled back on kills by Keeley Blount-Henderson for a 15-7 game. Kills by Lauren Rodenberg and Karmyn Plain Feather closed the gap to 1610.
Poplar took more control with spikes by O’Neal and Quintana Young. The Indians went on to win the first set by a 25-12 final.
Aces by Young led the Indians to a 17-10 lead in the second set. Wolf Point responded with a kill by Ma’Kenzie Jackson, a serve by AnnaLeigh Matejovsky and kill by Kashlyn Speak Thunder. Kills by Rodenberg kept the Wolves close at 2116.
Poplar increased its lead to 24-16 on the strong serving of Gorder. After a block by Speak Thunder and an ace by Matejovsky, Poplar ended the second set on a spike by Mackenzie Crawford.
The net play of Speak Thunder helped the Wolves gain an 18-14 advantage in the third set. Poplar pulled to a 20-20 deadlock on a kill by Lanie Moran.
The serving of Jackson led the Wolves to a 24-20 lead. A kill by Blount-Henderson ended the third set.
Wolf Point jumped out to an 11-7 lead on the net play of Blount-Henderson and Rodenberg. Poplar tied the score at 13-13 on a kill by Young and moved ahead 17-13 on a block by Crawford.
Kills by O’Neal and Moran led the Indians to a 24-16 lead as the Indians earned a 25-18 win.
O’Neal led Poplar with nine kills. Young served eight aces.
Angelina Escarcega finished with 40 dugs. Makenzie Crawford had five blocks.
Gorder accounted for 30 assists.
Wolf Point’s Blount-Henderson finished with eight kills.
Speak Thunder accounted for three aces and two blocks. Marley Moran had 19 assists.
Having 19 digs each were Speak Thunder and Rodenberg.
