The Hitchcock-Tulare Patriots earned third place at Saturday’s 281 Conference Volleyball Tournament, finishing the day 2-1 before falling to top-ranked Warner on Tuesday night. The four-match stretch leaves the Patriots with an 11-9 record heading into Thursday’s Pink Night matchup at Miller.
The Patriots opened tournament play against host Wessington Springs and defeated the Spartans 25-20, 25-15. Hitchcock-Tulare built an early lead in the opening set, but unforced errors allowed Wessington Springs to close the gap before the Patriots secured the win. In the second set, the Patriots established a commanding lead and maintained control to complete the sweep.
Emmerie Arthurs led the offense with eight kills, while Tess Bixler added five. Brynn Binger recorded 19 assists, and Olivia Knox finished with nine digs and two aces. Keilee Schone contributed two block assists.
The victory advanced Hitchcock-Tulare to a matchup with the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Wolsey-Wessington. The Patriots stayed close through much of the opening set, trading points with the Warbirds until a late run gave Wolsey-Wessington a 25-19 win. The second set belonged to the Warbirds, whose powerful attack, combined with Patriot unforced errors, resulted in a 25-8 finish and a 2-0 sweep.
Bixler paced Hitchcock-Tulare with six kills, and Arthurs added five. Binger tallied 12 assists, while Knox collected 13 digs.
The loss sent the Patriots into the third-place match against Highmore-Harrold, giving Hitchcock-Tulare an opportunity to avenge an earlier-season defeat. The Patriots responded with a strong opening set, rolling to a 25-9 victory. The second set remained competitive, but the Pirates pulled out a 25-19 win to force a deciding set.
Both teams traded points in the final set before a late Patriot run created the separation Hitchcock-Tulare needed. The Patriots closed out a 25-19 victory to secure the match and third place.
Arthurs led the Patriots with 10 kills and added 11 digs and three block assists. Bixler contributed six kills, and Binger dished out 21 assists. Paige McNeely recorded 13 digs, while Kaylie LaBrie added 12. Binger, Schone and McNeely each served two aces, and Schone finished with two block assists.
On Tuesday, the Patriots traveled to Warner to face the No. 1 team in Class B. The Monarchs displayed a versatile, powerful offense, attacking from all angles to keep Hitchcock-Tulare’s defense guessing. Although the Patriots put together stretches of solid play, unforced errors made it difficult to sustain momentum. Warner swept the match 25-11, 25-12, 25-14.
Arthurs finished with six kills and 12 digs, while Knox led the defense with 14 digs. Binger recorded 11 assists.
The Patriots return to action Thursday night when they travel to Miller for the annual Pink Night match against the Rustlers. The seventh-grade match begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by eighth grade, junior varsity, and varsity.