Volleyball: Raiders edge up and down Tigers

Kenzie Hesse had a team-high 23 kills vs. Northfield (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Unbeaten Northfield (4-0) won an abbreviated fifth game 15-6 to hand Farmington (2-1) its first defeat of the 2013 season Thursday night at Tiger Gym.

Consistency was a problem for both teams as the Raiders and Tigers split the first four one-sided games. Farmington won the first and third games by scores of 25-19 and 25-16. Northfield took games two and four 25-17 and 25-19.

"It was weird," Tiger coach Mike Woody said. "We took turns taking control of games. It seemed that whoever got off to a fast start stayed in control."

After winning the fourth game the visiting Raiders seemed to gather some momentum and won the deciding 15-point game handily.

"Passing was the difference in game five," Woody said. "We didn't pass well enough to set up our offense and they did."

Freshman Kenzie Hesse had a big night on offense with a season high 23 kills. Emma Fahning, another ninth grader had 11 and she and libero Diana Comes had five and four service aces

respectively.

Fahning also led in digs with 20. Comes and setter Ruthie Schmitt each came up with 12 and Hesse added 11. Comes was tops in serve receptions with 32. Fahning had 22 and Hesse 19.

Schmitt had another productive night passing the ball with 40 assists. Morgan Cecchettini and Vanessa Garske led in blocks with five apiece.

Woody said his team lost to a quality opponent in its conference opener.

"Northfield was pretty good," he said. "We need to learn how to score points when we are not running on all cylinders. We let our emotions dictate our play instead of our play dictating our emotions.  It was a good lesson for us."

This weekend the Tigers make an appearance at the Coon Rapids Invitational tournament before returning to action next Tuesday with a non-conference home match against Hastings.