Medina/Pingree-Buchanan wants to 'bring it home' Saturday

Nov. 21—BISMARCK — The 2025 Medina/Pingree-Buchanan volleyball team has gone further than any other team in M/P-B history.

Head coach Jacie Connell and her squad punched their ticket to the Thunder's first-ever NDHSAA Class B State Title Match on Friday defeating Our Redeemer's 3-0.

"We played consistent, determined and with heart," Connell said. "Our goal was to get into the state championship match, and they did it."

The Thunder will face 2024 state champs Langdon/AEM in the title game. First serve is schedule for 3 p.m. at the Bismarck Events Center.

Destiny Opp once again led the Thunder from an offensive standpoint with 17 kills while Brynn Sorenson notched 15. Sorenson was the team's defensive leader in the back row with 26 digs. The senior also made one stop at the net.

Brooklynn Roedocker was the leader for Our Redeemer's with 13 kills.

"I am so excited to have this opportunity to play for a state title," Connell said. "We will give it our all, and I'm hoping to bring it home."

Medina/Pingree-Buchanan 3, Our Redeemer's 0

ORCS 23 22 19

M/P-B 25 25 25

ORCS — Kills: Brooklynn Roedocker 13, Kadyn Braun 9, Lauren Strom 6, Noel Pankratz 4, Hope Gravley 1, Ellie Streyle 1, Grace Olson 1. Assists: Olson 29, Streyle 2, Tessa Carlson 1. Digs: Streyle 14, Braun 11, Olson 10, Pankratz 7, Carlson 3, Roedocker 1, Strom 1. Blocks: Strom 3, Roedocker 2, Gravley 1, Olson 1. Aces: Roedocker 2, Streyle 2, Braun 1, Carlson 1.

MPB — Kills: Destiny Opp 17, Brynn Sorenson 15, Shayla Martin 8, Violet Bohl 5, Jorgen Tripp 4. Assists: Bohl 37. Digs: Sorenson 26, Madelynn Nagel 13, Marly Hoffmann 11, Aubree Lachenmeier 10, Bohl 9, Tripp 7, Opp 3, Iliaina Schmidt 1. Blocks: Tripp 2, Sorenson 1. Aces: Bohl 1.

For a second time in the NDHSAA Class B State Volleyball Tournament top-seeded Langdon/AEM was forced the distance.

The Cardinals advanced, this time over fourth-seeded Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier 26-24, 16-25, 25-11, 21-25, 15-3 to advance to the Class B Championship Match on Saturday. The championship is set for 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The first set was tic-for-tac as the Rebels and Cardinals matched mini runs throughout until E/K-M reached set point at 24-23, but Langdon rattled off the final three points to win the set. The Rebels flipped the script in the second set, thanks in large part to the serving of Kailey VanEnk, who went on a late 5-0 run to give her team control and level the match.

Set No. 3 was dominated by Langdon/AEM, with freshman hitter Hillary Haaven tallying 21 kills and Taya Feist making five stops at the net. After falling behind 5-0 in the fourth set, the Rebels rallied behind the hitting of Betsy Huber and Elli Lloyd. The Rebels' offensive firepower forced a decisive set.

In the fifth Langdon scored eleven of the first twelve points of the set, helped by the serving of Mya Swanson, to advance to the title match for the second-straight year. The Cardinals won the Class B title last season. Head coach Darci Moch and the Rebels will face Our Redeemer's in the third place match on Saturday at 8 a.m.

Langdon/AEM 3, Edgeley/Kulm-Montpelier 2

EKM 24 25 11 25 3

L/AEM 26 16 25 2115

EKM — Kills: Betsy Huber 15, Elli Lloyd 12, Jazmyn Zaun 5, Ally Strobel 4, Kalyn Klusmann 3, Mazie Tjernlund 1. Assists: Tjernlund 37. Digs: Lloyd 28, Kate Barnick 20, Kailey VanEnk 20, Tjernlund 14, Alice Gackle 9, Zaun 3, Huber 1, Strobel 1. Blocks: Huber 5, Strobel 2, Klusmann 1, Zaun 1, Lloyd 1. Aces: VanEnk 3, Huber 2, Lloyd 1.

L/AEM — Kills: Hilary Haaven 23, Taya Feist 9, Kemi Morstad 6, Emma Hall 5, Mya Swanson 2, Hallie Overby 1. Assists: Morstad 34, Haaven 3, Raeleigh Ratzlaff 1, Feist 1, Hall 1, Meggy Hetletved 1. Digs: Haaven 37, Ratzlaff 35, Swanson 26, Hetletved 20, Morstad 12, Feist 12, Hall 12, Overby 2. Blocks: Feist 10, Morstad 8, Hall 4, Overby 3. Aces: Hall 5, Swanson 1, Morstad 1, Ratzlaff 1, Haaven 1.