Ipswich split a pair of 3-1 non-conference high school volleyball outcomes last week, both on the road. Last Tuesday the IHS Lady Tigers lost to their Groton counterparts in three really close outcomes -- 25-23, 25-20 and the fourth set 26-24, respectively. But Ipswich stayed alive with a 25-22 win in the third set. The Lady Tigers then got back into the win column two nights later in Waubay.

And Ipswich coach Trent Osborne wasn’t really all that disappointed with the loss to Class A Groton. “The girls played great,” he said. “Groton is a tough opponent and we were right with them in every game. We had some people really step up and play well, specifically our setters. Halle (Heinz) and Bailey (Pitz) are quickly becoming very good setters and are learning how to find each of our hitters and giving them great opportunities.”

One of those heavy hitters benefiting from that accurate setting in the Groton match was Abby Grabowska featuring 28 kills among her 49 total hits. Altogether Ipswich finished 178-199 in its overall net attack and included 49 kills, as Hailey Bierman chipped in with a 15-16, 10-kill evening. That 197-199 setting effort included 47 assists and Pitz finished with 22 of them followed by Heinz with 19 assists. (Groton was only 173-200 at the net with 46 kills.)

In serving, Ipswich was 86-94 with six aces, led by Lindsey Grabowska, 16-17 with two aces and Chesney Olivier 12-13, 2.

Defensively against Groton, Ipswich came up with 163 digs, led by Olivier and Abby Grabowska with 36 each and Lindsey Grabowska with 35. Ipswich added seven assisted blocks, led by Paige Mehlberg and Bierman with four apiece.

Then at Waubay two nights later vs. Waubay-Summit, Ipswich won its last three sets 25-16, 25-16, 25-18 after dropping its opener by a 25-21 verdict.

And Abby Grabowska again led the IHS net attack with a 52-59, 24-kill effort. That left her only 12 kills shy of becoming Ipswich’s first-ever member of the 1000 career kills club, entering last night’s home match against Sully Buttes. (Those results weren’t available at our deadline.) The Lady Tigers also utilized Halie Feldman’s 14-15 hitting effort that featured five kills. Altogether, Ipswich was 136-164 at the net with 45 kills and the setters were almost perfect at 171-172, including 42 assists. Heinz went 97-98 with 25 assists and Pitz, 70-70,14.

At the service line, Ipswich was 93-96 with 11 aces, led by Olivier, 10-11,4 and Avery Sylte, 26-27,2. In digging, Ipswich totaled 112, led by Abby Grabowska with 31 and Olivier with 24. Ipswich also utilized three solo blocks and 13 assists. Credit Lindsey Grabowska with all three solo efforts along with three assists and Mehlberg with three assists.

After last night’s home match vs. Sully Buttes, Ipswich was next scheduled to play at Sunshine Bible on Thursday and will then host league foe Warner on the 11th.