Loss drops Frazee to 0-2 in conference

Photos by Chad Koenen
Madison Olson sets the ball during last week’s game against Bertha-Hewitt in Frazee. She led the Hornets with 16 assists in the game. 

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Midway through an extended home stand, the Frazee Hornets dropped a pair of close games to Bertha-Hewitt and Hawley last week. The pair of losses dropped the Hornets to 1-7 on the season, though their last three games have went at least four games.

Jayden Sonnenberg tips the ball past a pair of Bertha-Hewitt defenders on Tuesday night. 

The two losses last week come on the heels of a pair of non-conference losses to Ada-Borup/West and Norman County East/Ulen Hitterdal.

This week the Hornets will host Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in Heart O’ Lakes Conference action on Thursday in Frazee’s lone game of the week. 

September 12

On September 12, Frazee and Ada-Borup/West had one of the best second games of the season as the Cougars defeated the Hornets 3-0. However, Frazee nearly came away with a win in the second game as the back and fourth volleys ended with a score of 31-29 in favor of the Cougars. The second game came on the heels of a first game loss of 25-15 and a third game loss by a score of 25-21.

Elsie Ratz sends a spike past a Bertha-Hewitt blocker during last week’s game against the Bears. Ratz finished the game with 10 kills.

Hailey Selly led the way offensively with 2 ace serves and 19 digs, while Riyan Eckert finished with 8 kills and Kaidence Mayfield and Elsie Ratz each finished with 6 apiece.

Madison Olson led the team in assists with 15 in the loss.

September 15

The Hornets dropped another close non-conference game on September 15 when they traveled to Twin Valley to take on the Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal. The Hornets ultimately fell by a 3-1 score. 

After dropping the first game by a score of 25-15, the Hornets fought back to tie the match up at 1-1 when they won the second game by a score of 25-19. From there the Titans were able to escape with 25-21, 25-20 wins in the third and fourth games to come away with the win. 

Marcella George led a balanced offensive attack with 8 kills, while Riyan Eckert and Kate Vigen finished with 7 kills apiece. George also led the team with 3 aces, while Ellie Ratz also finished with 3 aces and 13 assists. Vigen led the team with 2 solo blocks. 

Tuesday

Frazee won a thrilling fourth game to tie their match against the Bertha-Hewitt Bears at 2-2, before falling 15-3 in the fifth and final game to fall to the Bears by a score of 3-2.

After winning the first game by a score of 25-22, the Hornets dropped the next two games by scores of 25-22, 25-17 to find themselves in a must-win fourth game. The Hornets pulled through by a score of 25-23 to force and decisive fifth game. 

Elsie Ratz had a big game for the Hornets as she finished with 10 kills, while Jayden Sonnenberg finished with 9 kills and 2 solo blocks. Meanwhile, Kate Vigen finished with 6 kills and 3 ace serves. 

Hailey Selly and Marcella George led the defensive charge for the Hornets with 29 and 20 digs apiece, while Madison Olson led the team with 16 assists. 

Thursday

Frazee won the opening game of the night on Thursday by a commanding 25-16 margin, before the Hawley Nuggets charged back to come away with 25-18, 25-22 wins to jump in front of the Hornets by a 2-1 margin. In a back-and-forth game four, the Hornets charged back and attempted to force a fifth game game, just to come up a couple of points short as they lost to Hawley by a score of 25-23.

Riyan Eckert led the way offensively for the Hornets as she served 14 times in a row at one point and finished with 6 aces. She also led the team with 10 kills, while Jayden Sonnenberg finished with 6 kills. Eckert and Sonnenberg each had a solo block, while Sonnenberg chipped in with 4 block assists.

Defensively, Hailey Selly finished with 21 digs.