Photo by Mojo Hill
BISMARCK — After dropping two sets in a row, Langdon Area/Munich was in uncharted territory.
The Cardinals undoubtedly have a target on their backs. They’re in the state volleyball tournament for the 24th time in 37 years — by far the most appearances of any Class B team. They’re the defending state champions and No. 1 seed. Entering Thursday, they hadn’t lost a set since Oct. 11.
After taking a 2-0 match lead over No. 8-seeded Central McLean, LA/M dropped two straight sets. It ended the Cardinals’ 29-set winning streak — and nearly ended their season.
But LA/M (37-5) survived a five-set barnburner to take down the Cougars (22-13) in the state quarterfinals Thursday at the Bismarck Event Center. Set scores were 25-20, 25-10, 22-25, 24-26, 15-6.
After the match, Cardinals head coach Rich Olson said he was relieved.
“No doubt about it,” he said. “You’re up two sets to none, and you won one of those sets pretty lopsided. But it’s volleyball. I’ve coached enough years of this that you know that teams can turn it around. … If you can get one, you can get two. And that’s the attitude that Central McLean had.”
Central McLean played LA/M fairly close in a first set that went the Cardinals’ way. After trailing 6-5, the Cardinals won five in a row, with kills from Hilary Haaven, Mya Swanson, Taya Feist and Hallie Overby.
The Cougars did enough to hang around. A mini run of 3-0 cut the gap to 21-18. But LA/M did what it’s done all season — find any way possible to win a set. It won 25-20 to take the early advantage.
And with a 25-10 win in the second set, the Cardinals seemed to be well on their way to winning a 30th consecutive set.
LA/M had runs of 5-0 and 7-0 in the second set, going up 22-8. Raeleigh Ratzlaff had back-to-back aces, and Emma Hall supported Haaven’s scintillating attack.
So far, so good — it was the Cardinals volleyball of usual.
“I think our confidence really does help us, and our connection,” Feist said. “And just when we’re all picking each other up, definitely is when we are at our best.”
Things started to turn for the Cardinals after they took a 5-3 lead in the third set. Central McLean won five straight, the last two on back-to-back kills by Sally Heger.
LA/M got it back to 9-9, but the Cougars took the next four.
The Cardinals briefly took a 17-16 lead after back-to-back kills by Haaven and a go-ahead ace by Kemi Morstad.
Morstad, the sophomore setter, had also helped set up Haaven on one of the previous points by keeping one alive at the net.
But after Swanson smacked a kill to tie the set at 19-19, Central McLean burst ahead on a 5-0 run. Morgan Snyder had two kills for the Cougars in that stretch.
The Cardinals fended off three set points before losing the set on a service error. They dropped it 25-22.
It was just the second set that LA/M had lost all season outside of in-season tournaments. The other one came against Park River/Fordville-Lankin in a 3-1 win on Sept. 30.
Swanson, a typically strong server, had two aces to help LA/M get off to a 3-0 start in the fourth set. Feist used her height in the middle to grab two blocks and a kill. The Cardinals took a 9-4 lead, on the verge of claiming control.
But the Cougars were just pesky. Cambree Schlafmann had two kills in a row, and one of Feist’s shots was blocked, as part of a 4-0 Central McLean run.
After back-to-back kills by Natalie Heger, the Cougars tied it at 10-10.
“Definitely their tips and rolls really killed us,” Feist said. “And I think our serve-receive probably wasn’t our best, but that’s just how the first round is sometimes.”
Kills by Hall and Swanson swung LA/M back in front, 15-10. But Central McLean took a timeout and came back strong. The Cougars won four in a row and eventually squeaked ahead 18-17.
A sharp kill by Haaven and a block by Feist helped LA/M regain the lead. The Cougars punched back again, going up 23-22 after an ace to cap a 3-0 run.
“I think we were nervous, but we definitely were trying to be confident,” Feist said. “But it just happens. Things happen. Just gotta battle through it.”
The Cardinals fought off a set point before Snyder won the set for Central McLean with back-to-back kills.
The Cougars stunned LA/M with a 26-24 win. And all the energy — all the momentum, all the joy — was on Central McLean’s side of the arena.
“I just said to steal back the momentum by going out and being the playmakers you’ve been all year,” Olson said.
After everything, LA/M found the run it so desperately needed in the fifth set. With Swanson serving, the Cardinals jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the tiebreaker to save their season. She had three aces in that stretch, including two in a row.
It was, finally, all coming up Cardinals.
Central McLean still didn’t go away entirely, winning four straight points. Haaven responded with two more kills to put the fifth set away, 15-6.
“I give Central McLean a lot of credit,” Olson said. “They went out there and made some big plays to help them get back in the match. We helped them with a few missed serves and didn’t pass like we normally do, but part of that was them. They were bringing it. And I give our girls a lot of credit for showing the grit to hold them off and get the win.”
It was another day at the office for Haaven, who led the Cardinals with 28 kills and 25 digs. Hall added 13. Swanson totaled nine kills and six aces. Feist had seven blocks, two kills and 10 digs.
“I think we were kind of a little nervous at the beginning, but we really just pulled it together at the end,” Feist said. “Definitely with Mya’s serves, and her run. She really helped us.”
So, after nearly letting this one slip away, LA/M moves on to the state semifinals. The Cardinals get to take a breather Thursday night before getting back to work for an 11 a.m. match on Friday.
“A win’s a win,” Olson said. “And hopefully this match and having to go through some of this adversity will help us when we get into the semifinals tomorrow.”
LA/M will face the winner of No. 4 seed Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier and No. 5 seed Flasher.
The Cardinals will likely be happy to see a 0-0 score at the start of Friday’s contest.
“Got it out of the way,” Feist said, “and we’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
