In an anticipated battle between two of the best high school varsity volleyball squads in the 10-team Red Rock Conference, the host Red Rock Central Falcons won the decisive fifth set and posted a 3-2 victory over Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda last Thursday evening (October 3) on RRC’s home court in Lamberton.
The Falcons, who won the first, third and fifth sets, improved to 5-1 in the conference, while the Coyotes became 5-2. Game scores were 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25 and 15-10.
HLOF won the second and fourth games by two-point margins, claiming identical 25-23 wins.
The Coyotes played most of the match without stellar all-around performer Sam Untiedt who suffered an ankle injury in the middle of the second set. Just an eighth-grader, the very athletic Untiedt has been a big-time contributor in both the front row and back row for the Coyotes all season.
In addition to Untiedt being sidelined, junior Hailey Liepold — the team’s strongest front-row attacker — was hampered by a recent shoulder injury which left her less than 100 percent.
“There were quite a few ups and downs at what became an exhausting battle against a good RRC team,” summed up Coyotes head volleyball coach Trista Rhubee. “Sam went down with an ankle injury and Hailey was dealing with her shoulder injury, so we were a little out of sorts as some girls were playing positions they weren’t used to.”
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