Edmunds County Tribune -

VS. SULLY BUTTES

Ipswich methodically topped Sully Buttes 3-0 in high school girls' volleyball action at home in the Tiger Den last Tuesday. The Tiger girls would dominate the latter half of each set on their way to the straight-set win. Ipswich claimed the first set 25-15 and the second set 25-13, as well as the third-set clincher by a 25-15 verdict. The match point that nailed down the third set and the match was delivered by a Hailey Bierman kill.

That was appropriate because it capped a 19-24 hitting effort by the IHS senior, who featured nine kills. Lindsey Grabowska added a 12-16 hitting evening that included six kills and Paige Mehlberg also knocked down six kills in her 7-9 outcome at the net. Sully Buttes was 53-78 there with a dozen kills.

Ipswich was led in serving by Halle Heinz with a 15-16 effort and she dropped in five aces. Bailey Pitz went 15-15 with four aces. Altogether Ipswich totaled 66 accurate serves in 74 tries with 14 huge aces. Sully Buttes countered with a 38-42, four-aces evening at the line.

In setting, Ipswich finished 74-75 with no fewer than 30 assists, led by Heinz, 40-41 with 15 assists and Pitz, 23-23, 10.

Ipswich added 55 team digs, led by Chesney Olivier's 23, which further added to her new career record that was previously held by Abigail Grabowska of over 1,000. (Lindsey Grabowska was next with seven digs in the balanced team effort last Tuesday.) Ipswich added five solo blocks and four assisted blocks, led by Mehlberg with three solos and the four assists and Halie Feldman, two solos.

VS. SUNSHINE BIBLE ACADEMY

Ipswich captured a 3-0 non-conference high school volleyball decision at Sunshine Bible Academy last Thursday. The Tiger girls totaled 64 accurate serves with nine aces and 55 successful hits at the net featuring 30 kills. And they enjoyed a total of 69 sets with 26 assists.

Those accomplishments helped lay the foundation for consecutive 25-18, 25-13 and 25-13 set wins. In attacking the net, Ipswich was paced by Lindsey Grabowska, 11 of 18 with seven kills, Paige Mehlberg, 10-12 with six kills and Hailey Bierman, 9-11 with five kills. It was a balanced team effort to say the least.

Ipswich's serving duties were led by Ashton Loken, 12 of 15 with five aces and Tarynn Kleffman, 14-15 with a pair of aces. In setting, Bailey Pitz went 35-35 with 12 assists and Heinz was 25-25 with seven assists. Ipswich only had one setting error that entire evening.

The Tigers' defensive skills were helpful that night as well. They came up with 59 team digs, led by Chesney Olivier with 23 and Grabowska with 14. The Ipswich netters created three solo blocks and three assisted blocks and you may individually credit Mehlberg with two solos and two assists. Grabowska added the other solo block and her team's remaining assist.