WHS volleyball outlasts Mankato East on the road in five games

The Worthington Trojans volleyball team picked up a road victory over a talented Class 3A opponent Tuesday night as the Trojans defeated Mankato East 3-2. Game scores were 24-26, 25-23, 25-15, 13-25, 15-11.

Offensively, Talia Nasers led the WHS attack with 14 kills, and Ava Schutz was next with 13. Kamryn Olson contributed 22 digs as the Trojans improved to 15-13 overall and 2-4 in Big South conference play. Mankato East, meanwhile, now has a record of 20-8.

Worthington had a total of nine ace serves in Tuesday's match with the Cougars. Mia McNab went 23-for-24 serving with four aces, and Mara Thier was 11-for-12 with two aces. 

In setting, McNab and Rylee Olson combined for 32 set assists. WHS will play its final match of the regular season at home tonight against Southwest Minnesota Christian. It will be Senior Night in the Trojan Gym.

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Adrian/Ellsworth captured the Red Rock Conference girls cross country meet earlier this week at the Mountain Lake Golf Course.

Leading the Dragon effort in Monday's competition was senior Keyona Klingenberg, who took third in a time of 22:18.7, and eighth-grader Charlotte Lichter, who was about six-and-half seconds behind her in fourth. Among the other A-E runners competing were Olivia Bullerman (10th), Lucy Thier (12th) and Peyton Bohlke (13th).

Murray County Central/Fulda's Laiken Farris won the race with a clocking of 22:37.3.

Her teammates, Isabela Schreier and Mara Clarke, placed fifth and sixth, respectively, and Holland Vogel was 11th. Heron Lake-Okabena junior Eryn Salentiny finished ninth.

In the boys race, MCC/Fulda junior Aiden Appel was second individually with a time of 16:48.9. Also in the top 10 for them were Micah Janssen (fourth), Alexander Betz (sixth and Carter Larson (ninth).

Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey was first in the team standings. For A-E, Aiden Lichter placed 11th and Cody Weidert 14th. Heron Lake-Okabena's Jonny Bass was 18th.

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The Worthington Trojan boys cross country team was paced by the 15th-place Asrat Bonnett during Tuesday's Big South Conference meet in Jackson. Among the other Trojans running were Evan Meyer, who was 20th, and Braddock Marquardt, who was 29th.

For the WHS girls,  Emily Dahlquist finished in 37th place and Sawyer Reese less than three seconds behind her in 38th.

Jackson County Central's highest male placers were Kayden Mitchell in 16th and Brycen Mitchell in 18th. Top-finishing girls for the Huskies were Naiya Ayers (eighth) and Ester Botello Ramos (12th). Tuesday's competition was split into big- and small-school divisions. 

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In area high school volleyball Monday, it was:

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 3, Adrian-Ellsworth 2

Murray County Central 3, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 1

Windom 3, Springfield 1

Hills-Beaver Creek 3, Red Rock Central 1

Southwest Minnesota Christian 3, Edgerton 0

Renville County West 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 0

Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 3, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 0

George-Little Rock 3, North Union 2

Trinity Christian 3, Harris-Lake Park 0

Sibley-Ocheyedan 3, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 1

In area high school volleyball Tuesday:

Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 3, Pipestone Area 0

Luverne 3, Hills-Beaver Creek 2

Fairmont 3, ML-GHEC-T 0

Western Christian 3, Estherville-Lincoln Central 0

Spirit Lake 3, Okoboji 0

Unity Christian 3, Sheldon 0