Midland Rallies From 2 Sets Down to Defeat Broncos
(Fremont, NE) – The #19 Midland Warriors came back from two sets down in Hastings’ season finale to hand the Broncos the loss in five sets (17-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-12, 15-7).
(Fremont, NE) – The #19 Midland Warriors came back from two sets down in Hastings' season finale to hand the Broncos the loss in five sets (17-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-12, 15-7).
Hastings got off to a hot start with a 12-4 lead, getting kills from junior Ilse Benne on their first three winning points, as well as the final two points of the run. Leading 19-15, Hastings won six of the next eight points to win the first set, 25-17. Benne ended the set with seven kills, as Hastings had a .310 hitting percentage as a team to propel them to the first set win.
Midland opened with a 7-3 lead in the second set, but Hastings countered with a 10-3 run, getting four kills and a block during that stretch. Benne and sophomore Makenna Sutter came up big again with kills to put Hastings ahead by four, 16-12. Leading 22-16, Midland won four straight to get back into it at 22-20. A kill by sophomore Kaleah Olson and a Warrior attacking error gave Hastings a set point opportunity. Three points later, Benne's kill gave Hastings the 25-22 second set to go up 2-0.
The third set started mostly even by both teams, with Midland holding a slight 8-7 advantage. Seven of the next nine points went the Warriors way to go up 15-9. With Midland leading 21-14, a kill from freshman Klarissa Dowdy and two Midland errors made it a 21-17 score and Hastings later cut it to one at 23-22, but the Warriors won the next two points to wrap up the third, 25-22, and get back in the match.
Midland controlled set four, jumping out to a 10-6 lead. At 10-7, they won the next five points to take a commanding eight-point lead. They eventually went up double-digits at 21-11 and went on to win the set, 25-12, and force a decisive fifth set.
The momentum of Midland from set four carried over to set five, as they won seven of the first eight points. Back-to-back kills from Sutter made it 7-3, but Midland later went up, 12-6. Sutter answered with a kill, but the Warriors put together three consecutive winning points to win it, 15-7.
Benn led Hastings with 14 kills, while Sutter and Dowdy each had 10 kills. Senior Alexis Pontine had 23 assists and freshman Fran Warson had 19 assists. Sophomore Lainey Benson had a team-high 18 digs, followed by 14 from Sutter, and 10 from Warson and sophomore Hailey Whitmarsh. Olson contributed with five blocks and junior Amiya Barnes had four blocks as well.
The loss concludes the season for Hastings, as they look to prepare for next season.
