Edmunds County Tribune -

It was that time of the year on Ipswich's varsity volleyball schedule to face a pair of perennially talented Lake Region Conference opponents. And that would prove to be the case again this season.

Ipswich was indeed defeated 3-0 at Warner last Tuesday and also lost in straight sets to Northwestern Area back home in the friendly confines of the Tiger Den two nights later.

But Ipswich had some positives in both instances. The Tigers lost to the Monarchs 25-17, 25-12 and a much closer 25-22 verdict in the final set that evening. And in the match versus Northwestern the visiting Wildcats would gradually take control, winning 25-17, 25-11 and 25-18, respectively.

In that one Ipswich would receive three straight aces by Katie Bierman for an early 3-0 Ipswich lead in the opening set. Ipswich's last lead in that set would be 11-10. Ipswich's final lead in the second set would be 7-6 after a Bierman kill. But the Tigers would hang around much longer in the third set, the score being tied at 14-14 at one juncture of that set.

Versus Northwestern, Ipswich finished 39-50 at the net and included 11 kills. But the visitors would power their win with a 70 of 78 attack at the net which would feature 35 kills, led by Ella Haven at 34-37 with 20 kills. Ipswich, meanwhile, was led by Bierman at 10-11 with five kills and Gracie Lange who went 19 of 20 with four kills. Ipswich obtained a 54-54 setting evening with 11 assists. Quincy Olivier was 49-49 with all those assists.

The hosts would finish with a 40-48 service-line effort, led by Olivier at 10-11 with five aces and Bierman 11-13 with three aces. Ipswich totaled nine aces. But the visitors were 66-73 at the lines with 15 aces, paced by Teryn Sparling, 22-22,4.

Ipswich obtained 38 digs , led by Madison Geditz and Olivier with eight apiece. (Northwestern came up with 26 total digs, led by Ashley Haven with seven.)

Versus Warner, Ipswich was 63-78 in hitting and included a total of 21 kills, led by Lange at 28-34 with 14 kills. Bierman finished 14-18 with four kills and Baylee Kulesa 12-15 with three kills. Warner powered its attack with a 87-100 evening at the net with 41 kills, led by Jennifer Aman, 28-33 with 13 kills and Kyra Marcusson 23-29 with a dozen kills.

Ipswich went 40-47 with seven aces in serving vs. the Monarchs and was led by Bierman 10-11 with three aces and Lange was 10-10 there with one ace. Vanesa Diaz added a 8-10 effort at the line with one ace as well. (Warner countered with a 63-74 serving evening, including three aces.)

The Tigers were led in setting by Olivier's 61-61, 17-assists evening. Altogether they were 74-74 with 18 assists. Ipswich also had four block assists, two by Diaz and one each by Kulesa and Olivier. Ipswich added 43 digs paced by Bierman with 10 and Geditz and Kulesa with seven each.

Tuesday, Sept. 21 the Tigers were scheduled to play Potter County in Gettysburg. IHS will play Langford Area there on Thursday. The Tigers will travel to Roscoe to play North Central on Monday, Sept. 27.