(photo by Jim Lindquist)
A slow start in very game proved lethal for the Tigers in a 3-0 loss to Missota Conference rival Red Wing in the opening round of Section 1AAA play Wednesday, October 26, in Red Wing. The Wingers won by scores of 25-23, 25-17 and 25-9.
"After losing that first game by two points I think it was a matter of our girls trying too hard," coach Mike Woody said. "We tried so hard to pass well we gave them a lot of over-passes...We tried so hard on defense we overplayed a number of balls."
The winners scored the first four points on the opening game before the visitors came all the way back to forge a one-point lead at 14-13. But after a timeout Red Wing went on a 10-6 run to re-take control.
In the second game the Wingers again flew out of the gate, scoring the first five points. Farmington battled back to trail just 19-17 before fading down the stretch.
Red Wing jumped to a 4-0 lead in game three and this time there was no answer by the Tigers as the Wingers won going away.
Laura Steege and Bekah Lippert led the Tiger offense with nine kills apiece. Setter Mia Johnston accounted for 10 of the team's 19 assists.
Defensively, Emma Fahning and Adrienne Jolicoeur each had a dozen digs. Fahning and Rachel Eckert came up with 10 serve receptions apiece and Jolicoeur added nine. Lippert and Emily Nelson led in blocks with four.
The section loss left the Tigers with a final 7-20 mark but Woody said there was much more to the 2011 campaign than the numbers.
"This was such a good group of girls," Woody said."They worked hard and they were a spirited group.
"This may be one of the few years that I will look back on and say that team chemistry did not hold us back."
