Tigers pounce on Cardinal winning streak

The Luverne volleyball team played in Marshall Tuesday night, Sept. 7, and the Tigers were relentless in their attack, keeping the Cardinals’ back row on alert all evening. 
Marshall came out on top 3-1, ending what had been a five-game winning streak for the Cardinals.
Luverne's first point of the match came after a dig by Macy Stratton to Reghan Bork, who set for Elise Ferrell to hit it over. 
Bork later surprised Marshall by putting the ball over the net into a hole to gain another point for the Cardinals. 
The Tigers turned up the heat and delivered some fierce serves and kills to put Luverne behind 13 - 3.
After a Luverne timeout, Morgan Ahrendt delivered a kill to put another Cardinal point on the board.
Luverne's final point came from Stratton, who executed a back-row attack. However, the Cardinals lost the first game 25-6. 
Game 2 saw competitive volleys to prove the Cardinals wouldn’t be subdued by their opponents.  
Luverne earned its first point on a dig by Stratton to Bork who surprised Marshall by lightly tapping it over the net. 
It was déjà vu when the Tigers ran away from the Cardinals on the scoreboard, forcing Luverne to call a timeout, behind by 12. 
The Cardinals came out of the timeout with Ferrell and Christina Wagner teaming up on a block to earn a point and then Wagner delivering a kill on the next play to reduce the gap to 10 points. 
The Cardinals would go on to lose Game 2 with a score of 25 to 5.   
The situation pivoted in Game 3 when Luverne took its first lead of the night with Anja Jarchow executing two ace serves and Wagner and Ferrell teaming up on blocks to put Luverne up by 2.
The Tigers caught up, but Luverne was able to regain the lead when Trista Baustian lightly tapped the ball over the net. 
Game 3 continued with Luverne falling behind by one or two points and then catching up with kills by Jarchow, Ferrell and Ahrendt, a precision serve by Bork and a Baustian/Wagner block. 
Luverne finally took the lead in Game 3 for good when Ferrell delivered a kill and Carly Olson served up one that landed just inside the edge of the court. After a nail-biting volley, Ferrell ended it with a light tap over the net to win Game 3 by 25-22. 
Game 4 started out with Luverne landing a point on the scoreboard first with a set assist from Bork to Jarchow for the kill. 
That would be the only lead for Luverne in Game 4, despite key back row digs by Stratton and Olson.
Behind by three points, Baustian set up Ferrell for a powerful attack that Marshall could not control. 
Later, Baustian set to Ahrendt for the kill, and Jarchow delivered an attack to close the gap by one point.
Later with Luverne behind by three, Bork set Ferrell for a hit into the Marshall hole.
Despite great volleys between the two teams, a Luverne back row on fire, and kills by Ahrendt, Jarchow and Ferrell, the Cardinals lost Game 4 with a score of 19-25, giving up their first match of the season.
 
Stat Highlights:
Serves:  Reghan Bork 12/13 with 1 Ace; Anja Jarchow 10/10 with 2 Aces
Digs:  Carly Olson 15; Macy Stratton 18
Set Assists:  Trista Baustian 9; Reghan Bork 12
Blocks:  Christina Wagner 6 assists
Attacks:  Elise Ferrell 7; Anja Jarchow 3; Morgan Ahrendt 3