BROOKINGS – Trailing 2-1 to Huron in an Eastern South Dakota Conference match on Tuesday night, the Bobcats took control early in the fourth set and rallied for a 3-2 Eastern South Dakota Conference win over the Tigers at the BHS Auxiliary Gymnasium.
Huron won the first and third sets, 25-19 and 25-12, while the ‘Cats took the second and fourth sets by identical 25-20 scores to force the fifth-set tiebreak.
The Tigers held a 2-1 edge early in the fifth before Brookings scored seven straight points.
With the Bobcats leading 8-4, the teams played the longest point of the match, with Grace Eggebrecht ending play with an emphatic kill that gave Brookings a 9-4 lead and forced a Huron timeout.
A Bobcat hitting error, followed by a kill by Mikena Moore, pulled the visitors back within three points at 9-6, and then, the teams traded points as Huron had an attack error before Hollee Niehus hammered one down to make it 10-7.
A kill by Kailee Bartels was offset by another Niehus kill for an 11-8 score, but then the ‘Cats scored the next four points to close out the match.
“I think Brookings’ setter (Michaela Jewett) turned things around – she took control,” said Huron head coach Shelly Buddenhagen of the turnaround after three sets. “They got themselves in system and they got us scrambling and we just couldn’t get a rhythm back – they just got us plain, flat out of rhythm and they got in rhythm – and then we were in trouble.
“We have to pass a little bit better; we have to quit sending so many free balls; we have to find an ‘out-of-system’ game. I don’t think our out-of-system game was effective tonight – we have to be able to get some swings out of it any time that we get a dig, no matter where the dig goes.”
Niehus and Kayla Schimke led the Tiger attack with 14 kills apiece while Moore added seven as Jayda Shillingstad notched 37 set assists.
Niehus tacked on two solo blocks to go along with an assist, while both Madison Pfitzer and Shillingstad each had a solo and an assist.
Havyn Heinz’ 30 digs led the defense and Isabelle Ford collected 17 as the Tigers dropped to 3-3 on the season, 1-1 in conference play.
Annika Johnson’s 10 kills led Brookings, which improved to 1-1 overall and 1-1 in the ESD.
Huron travels to Brandon on Thursday for another ESD matchup.

Huron Invitational results
Saturday at Huron Arena

Huron 2, Sturgis 0

Huron     25  25
Sturgis     10  16
Serving — Huron: Jayda Shillingstad, 4 aces; Hollee Niehus, 5 aces.
Hitting — Huron: Hollee Niehus, 7 kills; Kayla Schimke, 4 kills.
Passing — Huron: Jayda Shillingstad, 15 assists.
Blocks — Huron: Hollee Niehus, 1-1; Carli Lentsch 1-1.

Sioux Falls Lincoln 2, Huron 1

Huron     25  20  23
SF Lincoln     11  25  25
Serving — Huron: Harvyn Heinz, 2 aces.
Hitting — Huron: Hollee Niehus, 8 kills; Kayla Schimke, 5 kills; Jayda Shillingstad, 5 kills.
Passing — Huron: Jayda Shillingstad, 13 assists.
Blocks — Huron: Jayda Shilingstad, 2-2; Holle Niehus, 1-2.

Huron 2, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 1

Huron         25  23  25
SF Roosevelt     13  25  20
Serving — Huron: Hollee Niehus, 4 aces; Isabell Ford, 2 aces; Tenley Buddenhagen, 2 aces; Alexis Urena, 2 aces.
Hitting — Huron: Hollee Niehus, 14 kills; Jayda Shillingstad, 4 kills; Kayla Schimke, 4 kills.
Setting — Huron: Jayda Shillingstad, 19 assists.
Blocks: Huron: Jayda Shillingstad, 2-2.

Rapid City Stevens 2, Huron 0

Huron         22  15  
Rapid City Stevens     25  25
Serving — Huron: Isabell Ford 2 aces.
Hitting — Huron: Hollee Niehus 7 kills.
Digs — Huron: Havyn Heinz 19.
Setting — Huron: Jayda Shillingstad 17 assists.

Photo:

Hollee Niehus gets a hand on an attack by Annika Johnson as Tenley Buddenhagen blocks down the line during the second set of the Tigers’ 3-2 Eastern South Dakota Conference loss to the Bobcats on Tuesday at the BHS Auxiliary Gymnasium.

Photo by Troy Maroney/Register