The Sioux County Lady Warriors wrapped up the regular season with a win Friday and head into sub-district competition as the number two seed.
The Warriors prevailed over Minatare 25-13, 23-25, 25-7, 25-13 at home to improve to 13-10 on the year. Sioux County went up 3-0 in the opening set before Minatare knotted the score at set points three, four and five. A Sierra Eastman kill and a Kaylee Juhnke ace put the Warriors back on top 7-5, and they maintained the advantage to go up 1-0.
Minatare took an early 4-2 edge in the second despite back-to-back kills by Sioux County’s Tamika Eastman to open the set. The Warriors made five errors before adding an Ella Hyer kill to spark a 3-0 run behind another Juhnke ace and Sierra Eastman kill to tie it at six. Minatare retook the lead on a serving error and continued to control the pace, leading 23-16. Two aces by Ashley Hunter and a kill by Sierra Eastman lifted the Warriors to within two, 21-23. Minatare, however, fended off the late challenge and evened the match at 1-1.
Minatare looked to repeat in the third, opening with a 4-1 advantage but Sioux County tied it at four on a Tamika Eastman kill and pulled ahead 9-5. The Warriors went on a 16-2 run to close out the set in dominating fashion, earning five of their last 10 points through their attacking game as Sierra Eastman landed three more kills, and Britney Klein and Becca Reece added one each.
Minatare led early in the fourth again, 3-1, on an ace serve and a series of Warrior attacking errors, until Juhnke, Ashley Hunter and Sierra Eastman combined attacks for three kills to go up 6-4. Tamika Eastman added three consecutive kills to make it 10-6, and the Warriors rolled to the match win, closing out the final set on a Becca Reece ace.
Sioux County’s attacking game landed 34 kills, led by Tamika Eastman with 14 and Sierra Eastman with 10. Juhnke contributed five. The Warriors dropped 15 aces from the serving line. Tamika Eastman had four, and Sierra Eastman and Juhnke each added three. Reece and Hunter contributed two apiece.
Sioux County will play Cody-Kilgore Monday in Hay Springs for the Class D2-12 Volleyball sub-district. First serve will be at 6:30 p.m. The winner of the contest will advance to the tournament championship Tuesday.