Ipswich split two homecourt non-conference high school volleyball outcomes last week. The Ipswich Lady Tigers were defeated 3-0 by their Groton area counterparts on Tuesday evening and two nights later edged Waubay/Summit 3-1. In this one the visitors won the (first) battle 25-21, but eventually lost the war. That's right, Ipswich swept the next three sets -- 25-13, 25-19 and a hard-fought 27-25 victory to clinch the match 3-1.

In that latter win, Paige Mehlberg launched a kill for the set and match point. This set was last deadlocked at 25-25. Ipswich then scored two straight points including the Mehlberg kill to clinch the set and match. As you might guess, this one was back-and-forth from the git go. Ipswich had also hung around in its first set, despite facing an early 3-0 deficit. And the second set wasn't even close, as the Lady Tigers evened the match at 1-1 with a relatively easy 25-13 victory. The hosts then grabbed a 2-1 set lead with a 25-19 win of the second set, clinched by a Chesney Olivier kill. That set the stage for the crucial narrow fourth set IHS win, as the visiting Mustangs weren't quite ready to go home at that stage of the evening.

Ipswich was led by Mehlberg's 19-21, 10-kill evening. Halie Feldman was 20-22 with nine kills and Avery Sylte was next at 18-21 with nine kills. It was a balanced 104-132 hitting effort with 47 kills. The visitors finished 144-187 with 27 kills, led by Desiree O'Farrell, 37-44, with nine kills. Ipswich had a 118-125 setting effort, led by Halle Heinz, 59-62 with 21 assists and Bailey Pitz, 50-52 with 16 assists.

At the service line, Ipswich finished 96-101 with no fewer than 17 aces. Heinz went 23-25 with seven aces and Sylte, 16-16,4. The visiting Mustangs were 75-81 in serving with only seven aces.

Mehlberg contributed two solo blocks and two block assists and Feldman, one solo and two assists.

Ipswich came away with 90 digs, led by Olivier with 34 and Heinz with 17, while the visitors recorded 43.

Meanwhile, Ipswich had lost to Groton in straight sets, but was certainly able to hang around against an unbeaten Class A school. The homecourt Tigers lost 25-19, 25-23 and 25-21 outcomes.

Ipswich finished 101-125 in hitting with 21 kills. Heinz was 17-18 with six kills and Lindsey Grabowska, 20-24,4. Groton responded with its own net attack that featured 32 kills. Ipswich had a 111-124 setting evening with 21 assists. Heinz was 65-76 with 11 assists and Pitz, 34-36,6. Groton distributed 28 assists. At the line, Ipswich went 61-67 with seven aces. Olivier led that effort with a 13-14, three-ace evening and Heinz finished 10-11, also with three aces. Groton ended up with four total serving aces.

Ipswich collected 74 digs, led by Olivier with 25 and Grabowska with 11. Groton, meanwhile, recorded 87, paced by Eliza Wanner with 27. Mehlberg and Feldman each recorded one solo block and one assisted block.

Ipswich, 3-1 after last week, traveled to Sully Buttes on September 10 for a non-conference battle and will host Sunshine Bible Academy on September 12, also non-conference action. A tournament in Mobridge is scheduled for September 14 and the Tigers will play at Warner in league play on the 17th.