Photo by Deb Finseth
Fillmore Central volleyball had a busy week, posting a 5-1 record. The #5 in A Falcons (3-0) first had a matchup with Zumbrota-Mazeppa (2-0). The Cougars were a 1AA semifinalist last year (albeit graduating several key players). They swept FC the last two years. Travis Malley’s group got redemption. It took five sets. Z-M pounded it hard, but erratically. Unofficially, Z-M errored on attacks 32 times to FC’s seven in the first three sets. The Cougars compensated in game one by out-killing the Falcons 17 to 9. Breaking a 21-all tie, Z-M scored four of the final four points for a 25-22 win. But the next two games had Z-M amass a lot of hitting errors. FC’s steadier play led to 25-17 and 25-18 wins and a 2-1 lead. Hitting more accurately, Z-M out-killed FC 15 to 4 in game four to post a 25-15 win. They evened the match at 2-2. The deciding set was decided early. Alyssa Britton had a kill, then a four ace, eight-point serving session to give the Falcons a 9-1 lead. It led FC to an up-a-class road win over the Cougars, 3-2 (22-25, 25-17, 25-18, 15-25, 15-7). Kammry Broadwater’s big double-double (18 kills, 18 digs) led the way. Kyla Hellickson (17 digs), Britton (6 kills, 26 of 27 serving, 5 aces), Katie Pickett (19 assists, 8 digs), Izzy Nagel (7 kills), Lily Miller (11 digs), and Aubrey Daniels (14 assists) helped. Z-M was led by Lilly Mehrkens (17 kills, 17 digs), Ella Chandler (16 kills, 13 digs), and Anna Cylkowski (28 assists, 11 digs). Z-M out-killed FC by around 10 but out-errored them purely on hitting by roughly 20. FC then downed TRC foe W-K 3-0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-7). Hellickson (15 digs), Broadwater (6 kills, 9 digs, 16-17 serving, 4 aces), Britton (5 kills, 5 digs, 18-19 serving, 9 aces), Annika Mensink (7 kills), Daniels (3 kills, 12 assists, 5 digs), Pickett (14 assists), Nagel (7 kills), and Brooklyn Simon (5 kills) made it a team effort. The Falcons then took on the Apple Valley “Aerie” Invite. FC beat Class AAAA Cottage Grove-Park 2-0 (25-13, 25-21) but lost to Class AA Concordia Academy 2-0 (11-25, 19-25) in pool play. They then beat Z-M again 2-1 (25-23, 9-25, 15-9) and Class AAAA Centennial 2-0 (25-16, 25-15) to claim fifth place. Tourney leaders were Broadwater (33 kills, 25 digs), Britton (21 kills), Daniels (40 assists), Pickett (32 assists, 21 digs), Hellickson (43 digs), Nagel (19 kills), and Miller (23 digs). FC is 3-0 in the TRC, 8-1 overall. Caledonia won the tourney.