Edmunds County Tribune -

Ipswich won the Lady Tigers volleyball rivalry on Monday in the IHS Tiger Den with a 3-0 sweep of the visiting Mobridge-Pollock Lady Tigers.

Ipswich faced an early 6-1 deficit in set one, but eventually won it 25-18. The hosts knotted it at 7-7 and took their first lead, 8-7, with a block. They gradually extended their lead to the final margin. Set number two went even more convincingly for Ipswich with a 25-16 win, capped by an Abby Grabowska tip kill. Ipswich then pulled away for a third-set 25-15 victory, its largest margin of victory, to clinch the match.

Abby Grabowska had a busy evening. She was 45-49 at the net with 20 kills. Avery Sylte was next with a 14-16, four kills effort. Altogether Ipswich racked up 105 hits in 125 tries and included 33 kills. (The visitors were 89-90 at the net with 16 kills.) In setting, Ipswich was led by Halle Heinz, 63-63 with 21 assists and Bailey Pitz, 44-44,8. The IHS Lady Tigers' team was perfect in the setting department, dishing out 122 sets without a miss and including 33 assists.

Ipswich was also effective at the service line, going 68-73 with six aces. Heinz went 21-23 with three aces and Chesney Olivier, 9-9 with two aces. The visiting Lady Tigers countered with a 43-46 serving evening that included only two aces.

Ipswich added 78 defensive digs; Mobridge-Pollock, 39. The homecourt Lady Tigers were led by Lindsey Grabowska with 21 and Abby Grabowska with 20. The hosts added three solo blocks and four assisted, led by Halie Feldman with two solos and three assists and Abby Grabowska with two assists.

Ipswich improved to 15-9 with the non-conference varsity win and will next play at Hitchcock-Tulare on Thursday, Oct. 11. They will return for a Monday night, Oct. 15 Lake Region Conference match with regional rival Faulkton in Ipswich and it will be Senior Night. Ipswich then travels to Aberdeen Roncalli on October 16.