Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart’s Lily Hubin (5) looks to hit the ball past the New Ulm Cathedral front row of Megan Haala (4) and Lily Brennan (1) during a Tomahawk Conference volleyball game at Cathedral High School on Thursday.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — New Ulm Cathedral notched its 16th win of the season with a 25-13, 25-23, 25-22 victory over Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart on Thursday in a Tomahawk Conference volleyball contest.

It was relatively close the entire match with both teams making long rallies, good defensive plays and doing a good job of keeping the ball alive.

The first set featured three ties and four lead changes. Lily Brennan’s ace late in the set gave the Greyhounds a 21-11 lead. On the next play, BLHS committed an unforced error for a 22-11 lead for Cathedral.

Sydnee Helget’s kill raised the lead for Cathedral back to 23-11. Kristi Kottke and Cloe Schultz teamed up for a Mustang double block. The Greyhounds took the set on a kill and a double block.

BLHS came out to play in the second set. The Mustangs held the lead from early in the set to the midpoint of it. Cathedral’s Jenna Hotovec got a kill which tied it at 15-15. An out-of-bounds return by BLHS gave the lead back to the Greyhounds. Helget’s ace serve added 1 point to the Greyhound advantage.

BLHS wasn’t done yet. Lily Hubin’s block tied it at 20-20. Cathedral made a mistake, which made it 21-20 BLHS. BLHS missed the ball to tie it again at 21-21. Megan Haala got two ace serves which made it 24-21 Cathedral.

Brennan knocked the ball out of bounds which gave 1 point to BLHS. Brennan atoned for her mistake on the next play when she got a kill to give the set to the Greyhounds.

The Mustangs grabbed an early advantage in the third set. Helget regained the lead for Cathedral on a tip. Cathedral led for awhile. Megan Haala’s mistake tied it at 16-16. An out-of-bounds return by Cathedral gave the lead back to BLHS.

BLHS knocked the ball out of bounds which tied it at 19-19. A Greyhound kill got the lead back. Hotovec’s block and tip made it 21-19 for the Greyhounds.

Hotovec’s kill brought Cathedral another point. Hubin got a soft tip followed by a kill to make it 22-21. Megan Haala answered with back-to-back kills. A service error by Cathedral made it 24-21. Helget then bumped the ball to Edwards, who set up Megan Haala for a kill which gave Cathedral the set point and the match.

The Greyhounds were led by Edwards, who had 34 set assists and eight digs. Brennan added 11 kills and 12 digs, while Megan Haala had 13 kills and 14 digs and Hotovec added 12 digs, eight digs and three blocks.

Hubin led the Mustangs with 12 digs and eight kills, while Kristi Kottke had five kills and 10 digs.

Cathedral (16-4, 5-1) will host Lester Prairie on Monday. BLHS (8-15, 2-5) will host Sleepy Eye on Tuesday.