Photo by Deb Finseth
Ranked #1 in Class A to start the year, Fillmore Central volleyball’s week was purely non-conference action versus higher class teams. Travis Malley’s Falcons went 4-1, only losing to the #6 team in Class AAAA. Hosting AA Zumbrota-Mazeppa in non-tourney action, FC spotted the Cougars the first set 25-23, but then dominated for the 3-1 win (23-25, 25-14, 25-10, 25-10). Three Falcons – Madi Zwart (15 kills), Norah Nagel (12 kills, 9 digs), and Lauren Dahly (10 kills on .643 hitting), got to double digit put-downs. Hannah Vaalemoen (7 kills, 25 assists, 4 aces) contributed everywhere while libero Josie Corson had 27 digs. Ava Larson (8 digs) and Braelynn Dierkes (13 assists) helped. FC won despite 23 service errors (74% serving). They hit .317 as a team, though (47 kills, 15 errors, 101 attacks). The Falcons then took on the Apple Valley ‘“Aerie Challenge,” going 3-1 and posting their best finish ever at said event. They won their pool, again beating Z-M, 2-0 (25-14, 26-24), plus AAAA Hastings 2-0 (25-14, 25-13). In the four-team championship pool, they beat #6 in AAA Delano 2-0 (25-15, 25-17) before falling to Class AAAA #6 Apple Valley 0-2 (22-25, 16-25). FC thus took second. The Eagles improved to 8-0. Falcon tourney leaders were Nagel (28 kills, 17 digs, 11 aces), Zwart (32 kills, 8 total blocks), Vaalemoen (39 assists), Corson (48 digs), Dahly (14 kills, 8 total blocks), Dierkes (34 assists), and Larson (23 digs). Though early, FC (2-0 in the TRC, 7-1 overall) is the only team in the conference without a league defeat. D-E (2-1, 7-1), Caledonia (2-1, 8-2), L-A (2-1, 5-4), and Cotter/Hope Lutheran (2-1, 5-4) are tied for second. FC has beaten the Eagles.
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