Warriors Pick Up First Win Over Randolph Since 2012

Strong serving at the right time helped the Neligh-Oakdale volleyball team to pick up a road victory on Tuesday night.

Neligh-Oakdale defeated Randolph 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 25-14. The Warriors move 6-1 with the win and are sixth in power points in Class D1. It was the first time Neligh-Oakdale defeated a Randolph team since 2012. 

Senior Haley Kerkman put down seven aces, including four straight the first time she served on the night. The Warriors were down 5-0 to start the first set. Kerkman aced her first four serves to knot the score at 5-all. Randolph jumped ahead and stayed a point or two in front of Warriors nearly the entire first set.

Randolph was up 23-21 when a Cardinal service error followed by a Kerkman kill tied the set at 23-all. Randolph looked to pull back ahead when Kerkman hit a long ball to the backrow, but the Cardinals were called for a touch, giving Neligh-Oakdale the late 24-23 lead. Randolph called a timeout just as Claire Whitesel was about to serve set point. After the short break, Whitesel sent a perfect serve over the net to set up one of the better volleys from the Cardinals. Senior libero Kristen Snodgrass popped up the dig to Whitesel who found Kerkman for her one of nine kills — this time across the court into the deep left corner for the set point.

Kerkman and Shelby Pitzer led the Warriors with nine kills each. Kerkman added seven digs, seven ace serves and seven set assists. Pitzer added seven digs and five set assists. Whitesel had 10 digs, six set assists and four aces, while Kristen Snodgrass picked up 19 digs.
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Neligh-Oakdale: Paige Furstenau 4k, 6d, 2sa; Trinity Kurpgeweit 3k, 2a, 10d, 2sa; Brooke Frey 1k, 1a; Shelby Pitzer 9k, 5a, 7d; Haley Kerkman 9k, 7a, 7d, 7sa; Emma Boggs 1k, 1d; Claire Whitesel 1k, 4a, 10d, 6sa; Kristen Snodgrass 1k, 1a, 19d, 6sa.