The Lady Patriots entered Region 1B as the number three seed and got all they could handle with the number six seed Britton-Hecla Braves as the Patriots pulled out a 3-1 victory.
In the opening set, the Patriots got down early and could not make up the difference. The closest the ladies got was within two, but could not get over the hump. The Braves took the first set 25-21.
In set two, the two teams would almost play point for point. The Patriots would put a run together to get up by four, the Braves would make a run to tie it. The Patriots would go on another run later in set two and put the Braves away 25-20, to even the match at one game a piece.
Set three proved to be all Patriots as they jumped out to a big lead behind some serving runs from several different players. The Patriots would win set three 25-12.
Set four, the two teams went back and forth as either team got much of a scoring run going. The set was tied at 23-23, when a error by the Braves gave the Patriots the lead and then Lila Johnson put the game away with a kill out of the right side. The Patriots would win the set 25-23 and the match 25-23.
The Patriots would tally 35 kills on the night. The kills were fairly even with every Patriot. Katelyn Schroeder tallied 16 kills, Rebecca Huizenga tallied 9 kills, Lila Johnson added 6 kills, and Ella Johnson and Isabel Gilbert each added 5 kills.
Running the offense on the night was Presley Binger and Gracyn Bixler. Bixler would tally 16 assists and Binger would tally 11.
The Patriots tallied 8 aces on the night. Schroeder, Binger, and Bixler all had 2 aces. Brooklyn Frankenstein and Ella Johnson each had one.
Defensively, the ladies tallied 63 digs, led by Schroeder with 15, Cambree Hoekman with 12, and Frankenstein with 10. Ella Johnson and Schroeder also tallied two block assists in the match.
The Patriots (14-16) advance to the Region 1B semifinals on Thursday night as they travel to Mellette to take on the number two seeded Northwestern Wildcats. Match time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Ladies would like to see a large crowd in Mellette as they look for a birth in the SODAK 16.
Go Patriots!