Gaels can’t stop Boyden-Hull
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SPENCER – St. Edmond ran into a volleyball powerhouse here Wednesday night, falling in a Class 1A regional final to Boyden-Hull in three.
Scores were 25-19, 25-18 and 25-19.
The second-ranked Comets (24-11 overall) advance to Coralville and the Xtream Arena next week for the state tournament. For the Gaels, their season ends one step from state and with a record of 16-19.
St. Edmond showed plenty of the same kind of fight that helped them secure a win in the semifinals at Saint Ansgar and in a five-set victory at Mason City Newman earlier in the regionals.
For the Gaels, Eden Horn tallied 11 kills and Rihanna Myers had three, as they finished with 11 blocks as a team. Horn and Myers each had five blocks, with Ellasyn Whitmore recording six blocks. Both Myers and Whitmore had two solo blocks.
Ella Vandi had a team-high 24 digs.
"Our team put up great defense against Boyden-Hull," SEHS head coach Lindsay Heffernan said. "The future of Gael volleyball is bright, and I am already excited to get started on things for next year."
Boyden-Hull was led by Elsie Hoegh's 16 kills, as Jaelyn De Jongh, Ada Hoegh and Kaylee Kamies each had seven.
In the first set, the Comets built an early 7-2 lead, going up 13-7 on a four-point run. Hoegh had eight kills, while Kamies added three. St. Edmond recorded four blocks and Horn tallied four kills.
The Gaels used a five-point run to cut an eight-point deficit down and force a Boyden-Hull timeout. They answered another three-point rally by the Comets with three straight, but Boyden-Hull finished off the set, scoring six of the final nine.
St. Edmond held its first lead early in the second set after rattling off seven straight points to go up 7-2. They held the advantage until Boyden-Hull got hot, scoring 17 of 20 points, including eight straight, to go up 19-11.
Kamies and Vollink each had three kills in the second set, as did Horn. The Gaels did have five blocks in the set.
The Comets led the third early, 7-2, before St. Edmond rallied, taking a 10-9 lead. From there, it was all Boyden-Hull, as they finished things off in convincing fashion. Elsie Hoegh had six kills in the third, Ada Hoegh tallied five and De Jongh four.
The match marked the final one for St. Edmond seniors Chloe Palmer, Abby Huss and Morgan Lewis.
"A huge thank you to our seniors," Heffernan said. "Starting this summer through the regional final, they have worked hard and come to the table for all that our coaching staff has asked from them.
"I am so proud of their dedication, trust and for setting a new standard for St. Edmond volleyball."
Along with the Comets, eighth-ranked Le Mars Gehlen, No. 4 Janesville, seventh-ranked Dunkerton, No. 1 Ankeny Christian, fifth-ranked Wapsie Valley, No. 13 West Monona and sixth-ranked Holy Trinity Catholic qualified for state.