Henning sweeps Verndale in Park Region opener

The Henning Hornet volleyball team is off to a good start after their first two week of games. The Hornets improved their record to 7-0 last week with five more wins. 

The Hornets have had three regular season games and competed in the Browerville Tournament last weekend. 

In regular season games Henning has defeated Underwood 3-1, Breckenridge 3-0 and Verndale 3-0.  

In pool play at the Browerville Tournament the Hornets defeated Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 2-0, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 2-0 and Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg 2-0. With these wins the Hornets then played against the top team in pool A, the Browerville Tigers on Saturday. The Hornets defeated them 2-0, bringing home a championship.

The Hornets have been working hard for the past four weeks. With each game head coach Kristy Finck said she is seeing a lot of improvement.  She feels Henning has one of the top defensive teams in Class A, senior Ally Hart has been starting varsity since eighth grade and senior Faith Fisher has played since her freshman year. Both girls have over 1,000 digs in their career, it’s really hard to get a ball past them. They are also great serve receive passers, Henning’s offense usually starts with a pass from one of them.  Hart plays outside in the front and Fisher is Henning’s libero. 

Junior Lyvia Misegades is in her third year starting varsity. The past two seasons she ran Henning’s offense, as she was the Hornets setter. This year she has a little different role, she is hitting middle, while she is in the front row and setting in the back. 

Senior Gretchen Eckhoff is Henning’s other setter. She is doing a great job getting the hitters the ball when she sets and doing a good job defensively in the back row.  Hitting outside and right side are seniors Becca Frederick and Lilya Fraki, they are both returning letter winners. They are adding a lot to Henning’s offense, both have improved their hitting and are getting kills each game. 

Senior, Aaliyah Olson has been playing solid defense in the right and middle back, every game she plays Finck sees her gain more confidence and her passing improving.  

Senior Natalie Eckhoff is a player who can play almost any position, she has a great serve and she can go in and set, hit or play defense. 

Freshman Myiesha Antoni rounds out Henning’s core starters. She is a first year varsity player. She can jump quick and move fast laterally. Her blocking is an important part of the Hornets defense. 

Other players rounding out the varsity are juniors, Ella Missling, Alivia Gunderson, Alissa Winters, sophomore Lila Thorson and freshman Lillian Moench.

The Hornets only have one game this week as they travel to Bertha-Hewitt on Thursday. Game times are C squad 4:45 p.m., JV 6 p.m. and Varsity 7:30 p.m.