Horace Advances to State Volleyball Tournament After Sweeping West Fargo

West Fargo Horace volleyball returned to the North Dakota Division 2A state tournament for the third time in five seasons after defeating West Fargo in straight sets on Thursday. The No. 2 seed, which had already secured its state berth, used the victory to set up a championship match against the region’s top team. The Hawks, who entered the game with a 27-6 record, extended their winning streak to six straight games with the 25-20, 25-15, 25-20 win at Horace High School.

Kendall Mueller drove the offense for Horace, recording 12 kills and four aces. She also led the team in defense with 15 digs. Mueller credited the program’s recent growth for the team’s momentum, noting the influx of new players into the gym each year. "It feels really good because we’ve worked really hard to get here," Mueller said. "It feels great because, every year, there’s so many more new girls coming into the gym."

Horace will face No. 1 seed West Fargo Sheyenne on Saturday, November 14, at 3 p.m. at Grand Forks Central High School. The winner will earn the top seed in the Division 2A state tournament, scheduled for November 19-21 in Bismarck. Sheyenne, which holds a 33-2 record, defeated No. 5 seed Fargo Shanley in Thursday’s other semifinal. The Mustangs have won their last 21 matches and beat Horace twice during the regular season, with scores of 3-1 and 3-0.

Horace head coach Hadley Plank emphasized consistency as her team prepares for the region title match. She instructed her players to maintain a steady level of play regardless of the score. "Something I’ve been talking about the last week is, ‘Steady Eddy,’” Plank said. "We want to get high of high, but we don’t want to get too high and we don’t want to get too low. Sticking with the six that are on the court and on the bench, all playing together, not one person’s going to make or break it for us."

The Hawks overcame a slow start in the second set, trailing 7-5 before scoring eight consecutive points to take a 13-7 lead. Bostynn Evenson’s kill served as the final point of that run, prompting West Fargo to call a timeout. The set concluded on an attack error by the Packers. In the third set, West Fargo jumped out to a 4-0 lead with kills from Finly Grefsrud and Aurey Morris. However, Horace tied the set at 19-19 before Mueller served two aces in a row, followed by a kill from Evenson, to take a three-point advantage.

Other contributors for Horace included sisters Jordan and Coty Christofferson, who each recorded 10 kills. Evenson finished with nine kills. Courtney Heiser provided 21 assists and three aces. Joslyn Asplin added 13 digs, while Jordan Christofferson recorded 12. The team’s balanced performance allowed them to secure match point on a long ball from West Fargo.

In the other semifinal action, No. 3 seed West Fargo defeated No. 8 seed Grand Forks Red River in four sets. West Fargo, now 19-13, will play No. 4 seed Fargo Davies in a state-qualifier match at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grand Forks Central. Head coach Stephanie Oliver described her team’s approach as simple. "Honestly, it’s just play our game and compete and see what happens," Oliver said.

West Fargo Sheyenne’s path to the region title was fueled by a strong offensive showing against Fargo Shanley. Peyton Saxlund and Olivia Bratton combined for 33 kills in the Mustangs’ 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 victory at Sheyenne High School. Reilly Bryant added four aces and six kills, while Brynlie Richman contributed 41 assists and three aces. Baylor Dinger recorded 23 digs for the defending Division AA state champions, who will now look to extend their winning streak and claim the East Region crown.