The Blue Earth Area volleyball team advanced to the next round in Sub-section action with a three game sweep over the visiting St. Peter Saints Thursday night. The game scores were 25-16, 25-16, and 25-17.

“We were a little slow at the start,” comments Coach Donna Lee. “It was the seniors last home game and we might have been a bit nervous.”

Game one saw the teams exchanging leads in early action.

With the Bucs trailing 12-11, Hayley Pirsig provided a spark with a great serve which seemed to get the Bucs going. They won the next four points to grab a 15-12 lead.

St. Peter pulled to within two at 15-13 before the Bucs rattled off six straight points behind the serving of Jenny Smith.

The Saints gained a side out only to be called for a delay penalty which gave the Bucs a point and the ball. From there they went on to close out the game.

The Bucs grabbed a quick 4-1 lead in the second game only to have the Saints battle back to forge a 10-10 tie.

St. Peter ran off five straight points to take a 15-10 lead before a Kate Hassing spike put an end to the run. The Bucs battled back to pull within two at 14-16.

Smith served the next 11 points – aided by kills by Hassing and Danika Stindtman – to put the Bucs up two games to none.

Game three was almost a carbon copy of game two as the score remained close in the early stages of the game, only to have St. Peter eventually gain a 13-9 advantage.

The Bucs came roaring back once more, taking the lead at 17-16 with Morgan Dickman serving for five consecutive points, putting the Bucs on top 21-16.

The teams exchanged side outs before Pirsig served out the match – including a game winning ace to punctuate the Bucs victory. Smith had a good night serving, hitting all 24 of her serves and scoring 19 points.

Kirsten Johanson led the team with 33 set assists. Stindtman had 14 digs, Mariah Cooke had 11 digs and Smith and Dickman each had nine digs.

Hassing and Stindtman both had good games at the net with Hassing recording 14 kills and Stindtman adding 11 kills.

“We did a good job in the back row chasing some bloopers down in the corners,” says Lee. “We’ve climbed the first rung of our ladder and now it’s on to step number two.”

The Bucs will face Maple River next, in a game to be played at Mankato East High School on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The game is scheduled to start at 7:45 pm.