By Skip Hunter –

Last Tuesday the Eagles celebrated parents/seniors night. Ten seniors and their parents were feted for their contributions to the volleyball program. The Eagle senior players are Whitney Pap, Rylie Fey, Tyra Snyder, Emma Nibbelink, and Morgan Pap. The managers who also provide an invaluable service are Larissa Hoekman, Kassie Haak, Miranda Hoekman, Abby Van Dam, and Brielle Vis. Vis was also honored for her appearance at the state golf tournament last spring.

After those opening festivities as well as the national anthem performed by the volleyball team, the match against the Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey Wolverines was started. The Wolverines were 6-10 coming into the match and 1 and 4 in the Red Rock Conference. MLA/C was 3 places below the fourth place Eagles in the conference.

After some opening line-up troubles, the Eagles fell behind 7-1, before Makenna Brands passed to Ana Veldkamp who set Rylie Fey for a kill. This was one of the team-leading 17 kills that Fey put away for the night. Makenzie Pap picked up the next point with a block followed by another Fey kill to make the score 8-4. The Eagles drew closer with kills by Ma. Pap, Whitney Pap, and Morgan Pap to make the score 10-7. Veldkamp picked up 2 of her 40 set assists on the night during that span of play.

After the teams traded hitting errors, something they did a lot of during the night–44 for the Eagles, 41 for the Wolverines—Paris Van Dyke and Mo. Pap each had kills, and after MLA/C made an error the score was tied at 11. The Eagles fell behind again 17-12 before Fey and Ma. Pap had kills to make the score 17-16 in MLA’s favor. After SWC fell behind 20-16, Coach Zylstra called a time out. Myah Vander Maten got a pass to Veldkamp who set Fey for a kill. Fey had a second kill to make the score 20-19, but the Wolverines again went ahead 22-19. Mo. Pap, Veldkamp, and Fey combined to cut the lead to 23-21, but MLA/C put the Eagles on the verge of losing at 24-22. However, kills by Mo. Pap and Veldkamp made the score 25-24, and an MLA/C error gave the Eagles the game 1 win, 26-24.