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North Union spikers flatten West Hancock

ARMSTRONG — Anderson, Anderson & Goraczkowski sound like attorneys in a law firm, and North Union’s volleyball trio ruled the court in Armstrong on Tuesday night.

Erin Goraczkowski hammered 12 kills, Kate Anderson distributed 21 set assists and Bre Anderson produced 19 points behind 23-for-23 serving to power the hometown Warriors to a 25-6, 25-12, 25-17 Top of Iowa Conference sweep over the West Hancock Eagles.

“Our girls were down in the dumps after going winless in the Algona (Iowa) tournament over the weekend, so we really needed a pick-me-up,” said first-year North Union head coach Amanda Goche. “We came out hitting aggressively at the net, in addition to serving well out of the first two spots (in the rotation), and that really set the pace.”

Kate Anderson, who connected on 14 of 15 serves during the three-game span, reeled off six unanswered points to open Game 1. The Warriors’ frontline towers of Chloe Lofstrom and Goraczkowski dominated the airspace above the net before West Hancock hitter Brigid Smith drilled a cross-court kill off a Ryann Hagen set assist to stem the early tide at 6-1.

Hagen notched three service points to inch the Eagles within two before Bre Anderson smacked one of her seven kills to slam the brakes on West Hancock’s comeback.

Bre Anderson then assembled an incredible 11-point service run to put the Warriors in the driver’s seat at 18-4.

Lofstrom and Goraczkowski combined on a pair of double-blocks and each cranked two kills during the lengthy scoring surge, while teammate Dayna Umscheid and Kate Anderson chipped in kills to cap the double-figure run.

An errant Eagles’ serve later rotated Lofstrom to the end line and the 6-foot sophomore delivered four more points, with Hallie Reese and Umscheid fueling the offensive outpouring with spike-winners.

Goraczkowski jackhammered a Kate Anderson set for a cross-court sideout winner to place serve in Maci Marlow’s hands. Marlow delivered the final point as Umscheid cranked a down-the-line kill off a Kate Anderson assist.

After battling to a 12-7 lead in Game 2, North Union libero Aly Bierstedt created the necessary separation on the scoreboard via a pivotal five-point service stint. Bre Anderson paced the run with a pair of kills to extend the home team’s lead to 17-7.

Another Eagles’ errant serve at 20-12 proved costly as Bre Anderson stepped to the end line and closed out the Game 2 win with five consecutive points. Goraczkowski unleashed a line-drive blast off a Kate Anderson assist to put an exclamation point on Point 25.

Reese’s ace tip regained possession for the Warriors in Game 3, with the home team clinging to a 6-4 lead.

Umscheid gave North Union breathing room with a five-point service stint, with Reese and the Andersons blasting spikes to trigger the point production.

Kate Anderson’s tip — one of five kills for the senior setter — placed serve in her capable hands and she rolled the lead to 19-8 with four points in a row.

Hagen’s countering four-point service run inched the Eagles within 19-13 before Reese and Umscheid ignited the Warriors’ late stretch run for a 25-17 Game 3 win and match sweep.

North Union (2-7) travels to Belmond-Klemme on Thursday night, while West Hancock (1-3) plays host to North Iowa.

Martin County West 3, St. James 0 — The Mavericks swept the Saints, 25-16, 25-18, 25-16, during nonconference play on Tuesday night in Trimont.

Karlee Thiesse topped the Mavericks’ effort with nine kills while going 9-for-11 at the serving line. Maia Taylor contributed 17 assists, nine digs and five kills, and made 10 of 13 serves.

Emma Behrends notched three aces on 11-for-17 serves to complement six kills, while Mercedes Moeller provided MCW with 14 set assists. Madison Klima led the Mavericks with 12 digs.

Martin County West (2-2) travels to Nicollet on Thursday night.

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