The De Smet Bulldog volleyball team hosted the Elkton-Lake Benton Elks on Thursday, September 19th. The Elks took the match from the Bulldogs in four sets by scores of 25-27, 25-15, 25-20, and 25-11.
The first set went back and fourth with each team going on some runs. The Elks started the set with a 5-0 spurt. The Bulldogs recovered and got within three points, 10-7. After Elkton-Lake Benton extended the lead to 16-10, De Smet chipped away at the lead and tied the score 21-21. The Bulldogs then went ahead 24-21, but the Elks tied the set 24-24. After a 25-25 tie, the Bulldogs scored the final two points for a 27-25 win.
The second set started with a 3-3 tie, but then the Elks went on a big rally. They took a 9-4 lead and then kept rolling to an 18-10 score. Elkton-Lake Benton maintained that lead to a 25-15 win. The third set started again with a 3-3 tie. The Elks took a small 6-4 lead and stayed in front by two points at 11-9. Elkton-Lake Benton pushed the lead to 18-11 and then 21-13. After the Elks led 24-15, the Bulldogs scored five straight points to cut the lead to 24-20, but the Elks stopped the rally and won the third set 25-20.
Elkton-Lake Benton held a slim 5-4 lead, but then went on a 6-2 run for an 11-6 lead. The Elks kept the five point lead at 14-9. They then went on another rally, this time a run of 9-2, to push the lead to 23-11. The Elks then scored the final two points for the 25-11 win.
