Warriors third in Gold Division

PIERZ - The Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines won the Pierz tournament Saturday by knocking off Mabel-Canton in three.

The Brainerd Warriors advanced to the Gold Division after splitting in Pool B and winning Pool E. The Warriors finished third in the Gold losing to eventual champion Wadena-Deer Creek and Mabel-Canton, which finished with the best overall record in the tournament.

Alice Widmark pounded 25 kills followed by Sydnie Mauch's 22 and Tess Rahto's 17.

"This to me was a turning point for the volleyball program," said Warriors head coach Jared Diem. "We have doubled our wins from last year already. The last time we placed at this tournament was 2003. Teams that beat us last year we beat this year. We made it all the way to the gold bracket and lost to a team that made it to the section championship last year and the other went to state. Last year we took eighth in the bronze pool.

"We made big improvements in confidence in the way we hit the ball down today."

Alanna Hanson finished with 74 set assists, 30 digs, four ace serves, three blocks and two kills.

Mauch added 11 blocks and Hallsey Olson collected 40 digs,

Widmark added eight ace serves and 21 digs.

"Overall we played great and the turn in our program is starting to happen," said Diem. "We had some let downs mentally, but what I like seeing was our team closing out close sets.

"We even won a one point playoff."

Kelsey Meyer dished off 143 set assists as Sammi Lucking tallied 55 kills, Lindsay Monson 33 kills and Emily Weber 27 leading the Pierz Pioneers to the Silver Division title.

Miranda Przybilla recorded 53 digs and Hannah Groves 40 as the Pioneers finished 4-2.

Game scores

Pool A

Pierz def. Isle 25-10, 25-7

Little Fork/Big Falls def. Isle 25-16, 25-14

Pierz def. LF/BF 25-11, 25-20

Pool B

Brainerd def. Holdingford 25-20, 21-25

Mabel-Canton def. Holdingford 25-18, 25-19

M-C def. Brainerd 25-21, 25-16

Pool C

Wadena-Deer Creek def. Browerville 25-14, 25-18

Browerville def. Onamia 25-17, 25-19

W-DC def. Onamia 25-7, 25-17

Pool D

W-DC def. Pierz 25-17, 25-23

M-C def. W-DC 26-24, 25-20

M-C def. Pierz 26-24, 25-16

Pool E

Brainerd def. LF/BF 25-21, 25-23

Browerville def. LF/BF 25-13, 25-13

Brainerd def. Browerville 25-22, 25-19

Pool F

Holdingford def. Onamia 25-21, 25-15

Holdingford def. Isle 25-10, 25-8

Onamia def. Isel 25-13, 25-9

Gold Division

M-C def. Brainerd 25-11, 25-11

W-DC def. Brainerd 25-13, 15-13

W-DC def. M-C 19-25, 25-22, 15-13

Silver Division

Pierz def. Holdingford 27-25, 25-27, 15-13

Browerville def. Holdingford 25-15, 25-22

Pierz def. Browerville 25-18, 25-19

Bronze Division

LF/BF def. Isle 26-28, 25-17, 15-13

Onamia def. Isle 16-25, 25-21, 15-11

LF/BF def. Onamia 25-22, 15-25, 15-10

Brainerd statistics

Hallsey Olson 1 kill, 4 ace serves 40 digs, 1 set assist

Carlie Sweet 12 kills, 2 ace serves, 0.5 blocks, 10 digs

Alanna Hansen 2 kills, 4 ace serves, 3 blocks 20 digs, 74 set assists

Trisha Kramer 6 kills, 2.5 blocks, 12 digs

Sydnie Mauch 22 kills, 11 blocks

Alice Widmark 25 kills, 8 ace serves, 21 digs

Mikinzie Hradsky 10 ace serves, 7 digs

Tess Rahto 17 kills, 3.5 blocks, 1 dig, 3 set assists

Allison Mueller 12 kills, 2 ace serves, 3 blocks

Overall: Brd 8-10. Next: Brainerd hosts Pierz 7 p.m. Monday.

Pierz statistics

Miranda Przybilla 1 kill, 53 digs

Kayla Stich3 digs

Amber Preimesberger 22 kills, 12 blocks, 5 set assists, 6 digs

Lindsay Monson 33 kills, 16 blocks, 2 ace serves, 2 digs

Sam Herold 1 kill, 2 set assists, 2 digs

Hannah Groves 17 kills, 6 blocks, 40 digs

Katelyn Fuhrman 1 kill, 2 set assists, 5 ace serves, 25 digs

Kelsey Meyer 7 kills, 5 blocks, 143 set assists, 7 ace serves, 16 digs

Emily Weber 27 kills, 6 blocks, 1 ace serve, 1 dig

Erika Broschofsky 3 kills, 1 ace serve, 2 digs

Sammi Lucking 55 kills, 22 blocks, 1 ace serve, 2 digs

Olivia Zajac 1 kill, 2 digs

Overall: Prz 19-6. Next: Pierz at Brainerd 7 p.m. Monday.