Byron volleyers nab 5-set cliff-hanger, take 3rd place
ST. PAUL — On Saturday, November 11, the Byron volleyball team ended a stellar season by winning the MSHSL Class 3A state third-place match, in an action-packed five set affair.
After dropping the first two sets, the Bears (25-5) stormed back to win the final three and take the match over Detroit Lakes, 16-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 15-13. Lauren Fjerstad led the Bears with 17 kills, while Alexis Nelson and Kaydence Fjerstad each recorded 14 for the Bears. Nelson also finished with a team-best 13 digs. Kailani Schroeder dished out 50 assists in the stupendous come-back.
Stats Byron: Kailani Schroeder, serving 22-23, 2 aces, 3 kills, 50 assists, 11 digs, 3 blocks; Lauren Fjerstad, serving 15-16, 17 kills, 8 digs; Kaydence Fjerstad, serving 14-18, 4 aces, 14 kills, 1 dig, 1 block; Ella Nelson, serving 15-16, 2 aces, 4 kills, 4 assists, 9 digs; Zoe Dearborn, serving 9-12, 1 ace, 6 kills, 1 assist, 5 digs, 1 block; Lexi Nelson, serving 15-15, 2 aces, 14 kills, 2 assists, 13 digs, 3 blocks; Addie Johnson, 8 digs; Marren Radke, 1 assist, 9 digs.
‘Too-Tall’ Tigers sweep Byron
in semifinals
ST. PAUL — The Bears held late leads in both of the first two sets, but the tall front row of the Tigers proved to be too much. Not often did the Byron High School volleyball team see many opposing middle hitters stand 6-feet or taller this year.
On Friday, November 10, the Bears faced two of them. Byron did its best to combat the length, but in the end, the pair solidified a Tigers front line that finished with 12 blocks and forced 28 errors.
It was enough to end the magical ride of the Bears, as the Tigers recorded a 25-22, 27-25, 25-16 sweep in a Class 3A state semifinal at the Xcel Energy Center. Byron had a chance in the first two sets. In fact, it led 17-13 in set one and then 24-22 in the second set, but the Bears couldn’t finish it off. In the third set, Delano led 24-8, before Byron rattled off eight consecutive points, to give itself momentum for the next round. Despite the disappointment of the loss, Friday’s atmosphere, with both communities showing up in droves, won’t be forgotten by Byron anytime soon. Set scores were 25-22, 27-25, 25-16.
Stats Byron: Kailani Schroeder, serving 17-20, 1 ace, 32 assists, 9 digs; Lauren Fjerstad, serving 5-6, 16 kills, 1 assist, 13 digs; Kaydence Fjerstad, serving 7-9, 6 kills, 2 digs; Ella Nelson, serving 11-11, 2 aces, 7 kills, 1 assist, 3 digs; Zoe Dearborn, serving 8-10, 1 ace, 2 digs; Lexi Nelson, serving 8-8, 2 aces, 9 kills, 2 assists, 12 digs; Addie Johnson, 8 digs; Marren Radke, 1 assist, 9 digs.
Byron blasts Magic en route to volleyball semis
ST. PAUL — The No. 3-seeded Bears were all business on Wednesday night, November 8, when they swept the unseeded Monticello Magic, 3-0, in the Class 3A volleyball state quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Center. Set scores were 25-20, 25-15, 25-16.
Stats: Monticello: M. Biegler, 2 assists, 3 digs; M. Lemke, 3 kills, 1 dig; E. Koprek, 3 kills, 2 digs; O. Frie, 2 kills, 3 digs; S. Adams, serving 13-13, 2 aces, 6 assists, 5 kills, 2 digs; A. Ruda, 2 kills, 1 dig; B. Sigler, serving 14-14, 2 aces, 10 assists, 4 digs; S. Wills, serving 7-9, 1 assist, 2 digs; A. Opatz, seeing 4-6, 4 kills, 10 digs.
Byron: Kailani Schroeder, serving 8-9, 2 kills, 24 assists, 1 ace, 5 digs; Lauren Fjerstad, serving 13-14, 1 ace, 14 kills, 3 digs; Kaydence Fjerstad, serving 14-15, 1 ace, 4 kills, 1 assist, 2 digs; Ella Nelson, serving 15-15, 1 ace, 4 kills, 2 assists, 7 digs; Zoe Dearborn, serving 7-9, 1 ace, 4 kills, 3 digs; Lexi Nelson, serving 11-12, 1 ace, 9 kills, 2 assists, 10 digs; Addie Johnson, 4 digs; Marren Radke, 2 digs.