FLYING HIGH: LaMoure tops Carrington in epic region title match

Ellendale, N.D.-Everybody in the gym knew who was getting fed the volleyball late in the fifth game of the Region 3 championship match.

All eyes were on LaMoure's all-state outside hitter Anna Holen and the junior didn't disappoint.

Holen soared and slammed four of LaMoure's final five points to the floor, and the defending Class B state champion Loboes are headed back to state. The Loboes outlasted Carrington 15-12 in the final frame to take the match 3-2.

"I couldn't focus too much on forcing things, because when you force them that's when you make the errors," Holen said. "I just tried to get the hit where their block gave me."

Holen, who set a state tournament record last year with 86 kills over three days, posted 31 kills against the Cardinals.

"She's a great player," Carrington coach Dale Peaslee said of the LaMoure standout. "She hasn't been playing since the eighth-grade and has 2,000-and-some kills for nothing."

But Carrington made the Loboes earn it. The Cardinals jumped out of the gate with a 25-16 win in the first game, kicking off a back-and-forth title tilt.

Carrington senior Maara Nelson left all she had on the floor, finishing with 26 kills and 46 digs. The Cardinals didn't let many LaMoure attacks hit the ground, as Emma Rost also produced 46 digs and Emerson Hoornaert collected 39.

"They are an insane team," Holen said of Carrington. "We'd play them 20 times a season if we could, because they are so fun to play."

Holen rotated to the front row just in time in the final set. The game was tied five times, the final of which came at 11-all.

"When (Carrington) had Anna in the back I got a little worried, but I knew we were going to push through," LaMoure coach Laurie Good said. "They just had to breathe deep and have confidence, and they did it.

"Hats off to Carrington because they never give up," the Region 3 Coach of the Year added. "It could have went either way. I'm at a loss for words."

Carrington was attempting to reach the state tournament in volleyball for the first time since winning the Region 4 championship in 2013. But LaMoure has been a thorn in the side of the Cardinals.

The Loboes have defeated Carrington in three consecutive District 5 title matches. The region title is LaMoure's third in four years.

Nelson surpassed 1,000 career kills in the match.

"Everybody was doing their job, whether it was serving, blocking or hitting," Peaslee said of the Cards' effort. "They stayed positive, they stayed after it and we just needed one more play somewhere in that fifth set."

The Loboes' state title defense begins Thursday at the Fargodome.

"This is what we wanted since the beginning of the year," Holen said. "We want another banner for our gym."

Region 3 Volleyball Tournament

At Ellendale

Championship

LaMoure 3, Carrington 2

LaMoure 16 25 23 25 15

Carrington 25 13 25 21 12

LaMoure-Kills, Anna Holen 31, Ellie Holen 15, Kindra Hamlin 8. Assists, Jackie Meiklejohn 50. Blocks, E Holen 2, A Holen 2, Aly Thielges 2, Hamlin 2, Alyson Rodin 1. Aces, E Holen 3, Kallene Klever 1. Digs, Klever 47, A Holen 41, E Holen 24, Hamlin 17.

Carrington-Kills, Maara Nelson 26, Carmen Pederson 13, Emerson Hoornaert 8. Assists, Abigail Jarrett 42. Blocks, Pederson 3, Jarrett 2, Kadyn Mehring 1. Aces, Jarrett 3, Nelson 2, Pederson 2. Digs, Nelson 46, Emma Rost 46, Hoornaert 39.
Senior Athlete of the Year: Shelby Roney, Oakes
Coach of the Year: Laurie Good, LaMoure

Records: LaMoure 33-3; Carrington 34-3.

Third place

South Border 3, Oakes 1

SB 25 25 20 25

Oakes 21 17 25 18

SB - -Kills, Morgan Schnabel 16, Amy Jacobson 9, Kayla Rohr 5, Courtney Jochim 4. Assists, Jochim 31, Schnabel 3. Blocks, Rohr 2, Elisabeth Dalke 2. Aces, Rohr 4, Jacobson 3, Schnabel 2, Jochim 2. Digs, Isabella Froehling 15, Jacobson 8, Dalke 7, Schnabel 5.

Oakes-Kills, Shelby Roney 21, Makayla Wetzel 7, Nicole Schmitz 5. Assists, Sadie Hansen 36. Blocks, Taylor Roney 5, Wetzel 3. Aces, S. Roney 1, Hansen 1, Allison Cox 1, Abbey Forward 1

Records: South Border 29-11; Oakes 28-9.

Tournament Awards

Senior Player of Year: Shelby Roney, Oakes.

Coach of Year: Laurie Good, LaMoure.

1/2: LaMoure's Jackie Meiklejohn (13) goes up to block a shot by Carrington's Maara Nelson Thursday during the Region 3 Volleyball Championship game in Ellendale. John M. Steiner / The Sun

2/2: LaMoure's Anna Holen hits the ball across to Carrington's Abigail Jarrett during the Region 3 Volleyball Championship game in Ellendale. John M. Steiner / The Sun