Kari Gibb/MDN Des Lacs-Burlington freshman Piper Feller (5) goes up for the attack while teammates senior Ava Brown (11) and junior Hope Walen (6) watch and South Prairie-Max senior Azjiah Trader (3) and freshman Reagan Trudell (10) defend at the net. The Lakers faced the Royals in region 6 semifinal action on Tuesday, November 12, at the Minot Auditorium.

Des Lacs-Burlington showed no hesitation in attacking the higher seeded South Prairie-Max volleyball team at the region 6 volleyball tournament.

The Lakers’ confidence was such that frame one was won by Des Lacs 25-23 and the momentum from that score had the fans excited at the possibility of the brewing upset.

The district 12 champs from South Prairie regrouped and built an early lead in the second frame. Despite the scrappy efforts by the Lakers to even the score late in the action of the second set, the Royals took frame two 25-21 to tie the contest at 1-1 going into the third frame.

Both teams traded points and the lead back and forth into the higher teens before the Royals gained a couple of points advantage and held on for the 25-22 win and the 2-1 lead going into the fourth frame.

Just as the teams had traded points and the lead in set three, the same happened in set four with no clear cut shift in momentum as both teams were tied at 23-23 down the wire.

South Prairie-Max was able to outlast the tense volley action down the wire and scored the 26-24 win for the 3-1 victory over Des Lacs-Burlington and the right to play in the region 6 title match on Thursday, November 14, at the Minot Auditorium.

The Royals were led by Azjiah Trader with 29 kills, four blocks and nine digs in the game. Skotti Beck added 11 kills and three blocks while Reagan Trudell recorded 55 assists in the match full of extended volleys.

Abby Mikkelson posted seven kills and three blocks for South Prairie-Max and Delaney Hankel had 33 digs. Hailey Sys added 12 digs and five aces in the win. Keira Francis had six kills while Amber Brasch posted nine digs for the Royals.

The Lakers were led by Piper Feller with 17 kills and 19 digs. Logen Ystaas posted 16 kills, 19 digs and an ace in the effort. Ava Brown had seven kills and a block while Kaylee Werner recorded 48 assists, 26 digs and a block for Des Lacs-Burlington.

Maizey Frey had one ace while Mycah Faken and Hope Wallen each had two blocks at the net for the Lakers.

The Royals will face the winner of the second semifinal game between Our Redeemer’s and Surrey.