EAST GRAND FORKS — Wadena-Deer Creek’s Payton Gravelle and East Grand Forks’ Lanee Hams went down swinging until the very end on Friday night. It was a tall task to stop for either defensive unit and while the former racked up 34 kills on the night, it was Hams and the Green Wave who came away with a five-set win to advance to the next round of the Section 8AA tournament.
Each set featured back-and-forth action. For every three- or four-point lead that was earned, there was almost a guarantee of a comeback effort in each instance.
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“It was a hard-fought battle. Both teams played very well,” East Grand Forks head coach Paula Devine said. “We knew Gravelle was an unbelievable player who has had a great career. We just had to wear her down and I think we did in the end.”
With wins of 25-16, 25-21 and 15-13, East Grand Forks earned a playoff victory and will move on to face Thief River Falls. It looks to bring the same defensive tenacity it brought on Friday at Senior High.
The highlight of those defensive momentum builders came at the end of the third and fifth set. Libero Kelsey Spilde came up with impressive digs on Gravelle and Greta Van Batavia late in the action to s...