Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop’s Chloe Henrichs (11) attacks the ball as New Ulm Cathedral’s Ava Krueger (5) looks for a block during a Tomahawk-Conference, Tomahawk Division volleyball match on Tuesday night.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — New Ulm Cathedral took care of business as it swept Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 25-20, 25-23, 25-14 on Tuesday in a Tomahawk-Valley Conference, Tomahawk Division volleyball match.

The Thunderbirds fought hard, hoping to end a five-match losing streak, but the Greyhounds needed just 61 minutes to complete their victory.

Both teams made some entertaining rallies with powerful kills, strong returns and forcing each other to work extra hard to earn a point.

“We had moments tonight where everything was clicking. We made smart plays, and we took care of business,” Cathedral head coach Becky Wilfahrt said. “They dug a lot of balls tonight, they hustled tonight and they made us work. They kept a lot of balls alive.”

Cathedral tried its best pull away from GFW during the first set. Cathedral would start to earn a cushion before either GFW came back or Cathedral made a mistake to give GFW some life.

Natalie Ahlbrecht teamed up with Kora Schwarzrock for a tip at the net to tie it at 19-19. Madelyn Haala and Ava Krueger answered with a set and tip for Cathedral to regain the lead of 20-19. Three plays later, Jaylin Hartness made an ace serve, which brought the Greyhounds within 1 point of taking the set. The set ended on the next play when three GFW players tried to keep their team in, but the ball found its way into the net.

That ace serve by Hartness was one of the seven that she registered during the entire match. She added eight kills.

Abbey Hillesheim had 15 set assists, Krueger had six kills and 10 digs. Shay Wilfahrt added 11 kills with 15 digs.

Cathedral led for most of the second set. Roughly halfway through it, Hartness got another ace serve, which gave Cathedral a 17-13 cushion. A Cathedral unforced error late in the set, however, tied it at 23-23.

During one rally near the end of the set, Cathedral returned the ball and it dropped between several GFW defenders. A miscue by GFW on the next play gave Cathedral the set.

The Thunderbirds turned the tables on the Greyhounds when they jumped out to a brief lead early in the third set. Trinity Stearns’ tip earned GFW a point and Cathedral knocked the ball out of bounds for GFW’s 3-0 early advantage.

Hillesheim set the ball to Shay Wilfahrt, whose kill tied it. They Greyhounds biggest lead was 8 points (16-8). The 16th point came when the ball dropped between several GFW defenders. That same thing happened several plays later, which gave Cathedral a 23-14 advantage. Haala and Hartness teamed up for a block which brought Cathedral within 1 point of the sweep. GFW knocked the ball out of bounds during the next rally and the Greyhounds had the match.

“In the first time in a long time , we had a lot of consistency in our front row and in our attacking,” GFW head coach Imia Mages said.

Mages also said she was proud of her team’s fight despite the loss.

“We had a more competitive edge [tonight] than in the past,” she said. “I’m really happy with the girls tonight. And we’re hoping for them to keep working and growing.”

Cheyenne Schmidt had 14 digs and she was 9 for 9 serving for GFW. Kinley Bruns had six digs and Ella Nachreiner added six digs. Natalie Albrecht had 18 set assists. Stearns had seven kills and three blocks. Schwarzrock had two blocks and she went 7 for 7 serving.

Cathedral (11-11, 4-3) will play at Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart on Thursday. GFW (1-20, 1-7) will finish its regular season at Madelia on Monday.