HCHS netters salvage split with Saintes, Rams

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (Oct. 2) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team responded to one of its most lopsided losses of the year with one of its best wins Tuesday night, finishing with a Hawkeye Ten triangular split at St. Albert.
 The Cyclones were swept by the 9th-ranked (2A) Saintes in the first match of the day, falling 10-25, 11-25, 17-25, before bouncing back to sweep Glenwood a half hour later 25-13, 25-23, 25-17. St. Albert then beat the Rams 25-20, 25-23, 25-22.
 The win over Glenwood was significant for HCHS, which lost to the Rams 13-21, 11-21 as part of the Cyclone Invite on August 25. The same two teams will meet in the first round of regionals on Wednesday, October 17.
 The Cyclones tallied a kill efficiency of .237 against the Rams, finishing with 32 kills and only 10 attack errors. Olivia Petersen (.458) led the way with 12 kills, followed by Anna Ahrenholtz (.600) with nine and Hayley Hopkins with six.
 HCHS served 93.2 percent with five aces, including four by Haley Manz. Ashley Hall served 14-for-14 and also made a team-high 18 digs and Kara Weis set 28 assists.
 The St. Albert match was a lot rougher for the Cyclones, who were soundly defeated in set one before falling behind 15-0 in the second. They finished with a kill efficiency of .030, getting eight kills from Petersen and seven by Ahrenholtz. Hall had 21 digs and Weis put up 10 digs and 20 assists.