International Falls sits with a 10-10 record following a busy weekend and Tuesday’s loss at home to Grand Rapids in the first round of the Iron Range Conference Tournament.
It was also Senior Appreciation Night on Tuesday at the Falls High Gym as Katie Graves, Mackenzie Raboin, Sydney Gordon, Brooke Graves, Julia Santee and Kassie Dotzler celebrated their last seasons.
Grand Rapids’ front line was too much for the Broncos in the 3-0 loss (25-17, 25-15, 25-19).
The Thunderhawks (16-3) got a match-high 16 kills and 11 digs from Kelly Niles, 11 kills and seven blocks from Lindsy Mattson and eight kills from Jessa Sondergaard. Niles is 6-feet-0, Mattson is 5-10 and Sondergaard is 6-2. Katie Sheetz added 33 set assists, while Kaitlyn Olson posted 18 digs and four ace serves on 19-for-19 serving.
“We’re just struggling in going out there and getting the momentum on our side and competing. Just play volleyball,” Broncos head coach Erin Shikowsky said, noting her team is practicing well but not bringing that energy and intensity into matches.
Santee had a team-high seven kills and two ace blocks against Grand Rapids, while Gordon had six kills and nine digs. Sophie Fredrickson finished with five kills, Raboin made eight digs and Reva Renollet dished out 18 set assists.
It’s the third year in a row the Broncos have lost to the Thunderhawks in the opening round of the IRC tournament. Seedings are based on the previous year’s results. Grand Rapids has lost to Hibbing the last two year’s in the tournament championship. The only other tournament score reported Tuesday night was sixth-seeded Eveleth-Gilbert’s 3-1 upset of No. 3 Virginia (25-19, 19-25, 25-18, 25-20).
The Broncos were coming off a 1-3 performance Saturday in the Esko Tournament. The Broncos got swept by Greenway (25-18, 25-17), Esko (25-15, 25-21) and Deer River (25-22, 25-22), while defeating Duluth Marshall (22-25, 25-21, 15-9). No individual statistics were reported.
