By Kevin Cederstrom
The Eagles volleyball team is coming off a strong tournament finish as it enters this Thursday's key conference match-up with Menahga.
New York Mills finished third at the Bertha-Hewitt tournament Saturday. The Eagles opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Verndale in pool play, followed by 1-1 splits with Upsala and Ashby.
Eagles head coach Amy Koskela said they played well at times in pool play but other times couldn't pull out of the slumps. Despite their inconsistency, Koskela said her team was excited to make it into tournament play.
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NY Mills faced Bertha-Hewitt in what is essentially the semifinal round of the tournament. Mills started well against the Bears, who are 3-0 in the conference and 20-1 overall on the season. The Eagles actually led the first game by double figures and looked to upset the Bears.
We started off like I have never seen us play before," coach Amy Koskela said. "I don't think the Bertha girls knew what to do or say because we were on fire."
That's when the wind was knocked out of the Eagles' sails. Senior setter Brea Welter went down with a knee injury and left the game, forcing Koskela to change the offensive plan.
The Bears rallied to win the first game 25-19 and easily won the second 25-8 to sweep the Eagles.
The loss put NY Mills in the third place match against Brandon-Evansville. The Eagles came out strong to build a lead and swept the match 2-0 (25-18, 25-14) to place third.
The Eagles entered Saturday's tournament after sweeping Pillager 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-21). NY Mills is now 2-2 in the conference and 11-7 overall.
"The girls went in excited because they knew it was Pillager's Homecoming week," Koskela said. "We started off fairly strong, winning the first game quite handily, but then we kind of faltered and let them come back on us."
Koskela added the Eagles definitely didn't play to their full abilities, but won the match in three for a conference win. Pillager is now 0-4 in the conference and 2-11 overall.
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NY Mills plays Menahga this Thursday during Homecoming Week. Menahga is 3-1 in the conference and 8-8 overall.
TUESDAY UPDATE
NYM Beats Verndale
New York Mills avenged an early season loss when they beat Park Region rival Verndale, 3-2.
The Eagles, who also beat Verndale this past weekend at the Bertha-Hewitt Tournament, 2-0, jumped out to a 2-0 lead Tuesday night against the Bison.
But Verndale bounced back, evening the score at 2-2 with a 25-19 game three win and a 25-21 win in game four.
New York Mills held on in the fifth and deciding game, 15-12.
Tuesday, October 3
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New York Mills 3, Verndale 2
(25-17, 25-18, 19-25, 21-25, 15-12)
Eagles: 12-7-4 (3-2 Park Region)
