International Falls avoided a last-place finish in the Iron Range Conference Tournament on Thursday with a 3-0 victory over Mesabi East at the Falls High Gymnasium (25-14, 25-14, 26-24).
The seventh-place finish in the tournament came right before tonight’s season finale against Duluth Marshall. The Broncos, who received the No. 7 seed, open the Section 7AA tournament Wednesday at No. 2 Hermantown.
“Should be a good game if we come to play,” Broncos head coach Erin Shikowsky said about tonight’s contest on Senior Night. The Hilltoppers are also in Section 7AA and received the No. 6 seed, right ahead of the Broncos.
After cruising through two games against the winless Giants (0-22), International Falls almost let Game 3 slip away. Leading 10-6 at one point, the Broncos let the Giants rally and go ahead 18-14. Shikowsky called a timeout — her second of the game — and the Broncos, who had six service errors in the game, outscored the Giants 12-6 the rest of the way.
“We started out tough. We just let down a little bit,” Shikowsky said.
Sydney Gordon led International Falls with eight kills, 10 digs and two ace blocks, while Mackenzie Raboin added 12 digs. Reva Renollet and Kara Kennedy posted eight set assists apiece and Ashley Bahr finished with six kills and five blocks. Kennedy also had four ace serves.
Haylee Donnelson led the Giants with five kills and 17 digs. Ashley Moisio finished with a team-high 19 digs and Hailey Lislegard had four kills.
