KoMets outlast Packers in highly contested volleyball quarterfinal

Published 10:11 pm Wednesday, October 23, 2024

By Rocky Hulne

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KASSON – On a night where momentum seemed to shift back and forth on a regular basis, the Packers ended up a little bit short as their season came to an end in a four-game loss to No. 4 seeded Kasson-Mantorville in a Section 1AAA volleyball quarterfinal Wednesday night.

The KoMets (13-16 overall) took the match by scores of 23-25, 25-22, 26-24, 25-23.

Austin (17-12 overall) had a chance in every set, including the last one which saw them pull within 24-23 on a Quinn Osgood kill before the KoMets scored the final two points. Austin led the third game 23-19 before KM came back and tied it at 24 on a kill by Alexie Awe in the midst of a 7-0 spurt that saw the KoMets take the set.

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“They battled hard, they had some awesome comebacks and they worked their butts off,” Austin head coach Nichelle Gabrielson said of her team. “I’m proud of what they’ve done all season and they really started to build the program back up. They had a ton of wins this year and they really started to create the atmosphere of what Austin Packer volleyball is all about.”

The Packers jumped out to a 12-3 lead in the second set, but the KoMets burst back into it and made it close down the stretch. Austin’s Charlie Cunningham had a kill that brought Austin within 23-22, but KM scored the last three points. Austin won the first set when Addison Walsh served back-to-back aces to snap a 23-23 tie.

“This was the most intense game we’ve had all year. The pressure was on us all night and we didn’t want this to be our senior’s last night. We had some lulls that we came out of quite well,” said Walsh. “We have come so far from the beginning of the year. We’ve gone through different lineups and we’ve had injuries. Throughout the year we’ve persevered, and we’ve become a really good team. I think our next three years will be really, really successful.”

Walsh, a sophomore, played libero for the first time this season and she shined in the role, racking up 37 digs on Wednesday. In the second set, Walsh hustled all the way to the back wall to save a ball right before she collided with the padding.

“It’s a very hard position to learn. We had to change things each game based on the hitters,” Walsh said of playing libero. “We adjust our defense a lot and I wouldn’t be able to do it without Lexi (Brede), Reagan (Harty) and Quinn. Everyone in the back row has to communicate and it can never be one person.”

Osgood added 14 kills for the Packers and Isabella Bolster had six ace blocks.

While the season ends on a loss, the Packers put together their first season with a winning record since 2009. With a lot of players coming back, the goal will be to be even better next season.

“It’s a tough one to swallow and we know that we should’ve come out on top, but we thank our seniors and we’re going to miss them,” Gabrielson said. “We also look forward to the girls we have coming back. This program is rising up and I’m proud to be a coach of this team and I think the girls are proud to be part of the program.”

Austin stats: Addison Walsh, 37 digs, 3 ace serves; Quinn Osgood, 23 digs, 14 kills; Elizabeth Clennon, 25 set assists; Isabella Bolster, 10 kills, 6 ace blocks

 

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