Prep Volleyball: Verndale sweeps Menahga for first win of season

Teresa Moenkedick hammered 14 kills and Jordanna Schluttner registered 11 blocks as Verndale swept Menahga on the home court during Park Region Conference action Thursday.

Schluttner served up 10 straight points—including an ace—as the Lady Pirates took command of the first set 14-4 with Teresa Moenkedick adding two kills during the short run. After a side-out, Elyssa Kern came to the service line and kept the momentum going with five points and an ace to push the Lady Pirates’ lead to 21-5.

Menahga got the next three points, but back-to-back aces from Teresa Moenkedick and a game-ending kill from Miranda Dougherty gave Verndale the 25-9 win.

The Lady Braves put up a much better fight in the second set, rallying twice to pull within a point after initially coming back from an early 3-0 deficit to lead 4-3. With the score tied at 5-all, Teresa Moenkedick slammed home three consecutive kills and the Lady Pirates never trailed again.

However, the Lady Braves kept plugging away to keep the game close. Arielle Pihlaja pulled Menahga within one with a kill at 12-11 and a Verndale attack error made it 15-14 midway, but the Lady Braves couldn’t get over the hump.

“I thought we played really well tonight, althought it doesn’t quite show it on the scoreboard,” said Menahga head coach Isaiah Hahn. “We had our chances in the second game to swing the momentum our way but too many attacking errors ended up hurting us.”

With the score at 18-16, Verndale made a run to pull away. Jordyn Glenz started the rally with a kill to halt a Lady Brave rally. Kern then served up two aces from the service line with Teresa Moenkedick posting two kills to give the Lady Pirates the 23-16 lead.

Menahga was able to get the side-out, but consecutive attacking errors gave the Lady Pirates the game two win, 25-17.

Verndale started fast in the third set and ended up cruising to a 25-14 victory. The Lady Pirates led a much as 11 points at one time (15-7) with Schluttner (four kills) and Dougherty (three kills) tag-teaming to prove the offensive fireworks. Schluttner also capped the game with an ace to complete the Lady Pirates’ sweep.

“I have to give Verndale credit, they played well and made the plays they needed to win,” Hahn added.

Menahga was led by Jenny Skoog, who posted three kills, five digs and one block.

Verndale (1-2) will host Hillcrest Lutheran Academy while Menahga (1-3) travels to Park Rapids Area at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Menahga at Verndale on September 8
Lady Pirates defeated the Lady Braves 3-0 (25-9, 25-17, 25-14)
Verndale Stats
Kills—Teresa Moenkedick 14, Jordyn Glenz 4, Jordanna Schluttner 5, Miranda Dougherty 8
Digs—Teresea Moenkedick 8, Sarah Moenkedick 9, Glenz 8, Schluttner 2, Krista Dailey 1, Dougherty 2, Miranda Miller 1, Jessica Wright 9
Serving—Teresa Moenkedick 2 aces, Sarah Moenkedick 1 ace, Elyssa Kern 3 aces, Schluttner 2 aces
Blocks—Sarah Moenkedick 1, Glenz 3, Schluttner 11, Dailey 8
Set Assists—Sarah Moenkedick 15, Kern 7, Schluttner 1, Dailey 3
Menahga Stats
Kills—Jenny Skoog 3, Tarah Cleveland 3, Alicia Ahlf 2, Arielle Pihlaja 2
Digs—Jenny Skoog 5, Shannon Skoog 1, Beth Tormanen 13, Maria Tormanen 2, Pihlaja 5, Cleveland 5, Delaine Weyer 6, Ahlf 3
Serving—Beth Tormanen 1 ace
Blocks—Jenny Skoog 1
Set Assists—Weyer 9, Beth Tormanen 1