The #5 seed Faribault Falcons dispatched #12 Albert Lea 3-0 in Nomeland Gym Wednesday night in Section One Class 3A Tournament action.

Scores were 25-8, 25-19, 25-12 and the match took about an hour.

The first set the score was 2-2 when Faribault pulled away and Head Coach JoAnna Lane told KDHL/POWER 96 following the contest what she was most impressed with was the efficiency of her team in that set.

I counted just three errors in the win for  the Falcons while Albert Lea committed 10 errors.

Alexis West led the offense with 5 kills in the first set and also smacked two ace serves, Lauren Isaacson had a couple kills and an ace serve and setter Morgan West tallied a couple nifty dump kills.

The second set Faribault had a number of errors and Albert Lea saw a 5-5 score turn in to 12-5 thanks to some strong serving by Alexis West.

After the Falcons took a 20-11 lead Albert Lea got hot and cut the score to 23-18 when Coach Lane took a time out.

I counted nine errors in that set for Faribault and 10 miscues by Albert Lea.

The final set was again close early with the Falcons pulling away to take a 11-4 lead.

Then 19-6.  I counted six Faribault errors and the Tigers had 11.

My very unofficial statistics had seniors Lauren Isaacson and Alexis West with 8 kills each.

For five Faribault seniors it was their last home match. Morgan and Alexis West, Grace Amacher, Lauren Isaacson and Jordan Houge.

Every Falcon player hit the floor in the convincing victory and the 19-7 Falcons travel to Rochester Century Friday night to play the #4 Panthers.

It was the loss to Century toward the end of the regular season that knocked Faribault out of the four seed and Coach Lane said it was an exciting match noting her Falcons didn't play the way they are capable.

Roy Koenig will be calling the match on POWER 96 Radio 95.9 FM, www.power96radio.com and people can download the FREE Radio Pup app and listen on their favorite mobile device.

The winner of Friday's match goes to the Rochester Mayo Civic Center for a semi-final next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and more than likely would face #1 Lakeville North.

The Panthers are the #2 ranked team in the state.  #2 seed Lakeville South is ranked #3 in the state and #3 seed Northfield has received votes but been unable to crack the top ten Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A poll.

The rest of Section One Class 3A first round action went according to seed also.

#8 Farmington nipped #9 Owatonna 3-2.  The Huskies won the first set 25-20, Farmington the next 25-12, Farmington the third 25-23 before Owatonna forced a fifth set with a 25-13 win.  The Tigers clawed out a 15-11 fifth set victory to earn the right to top seed Lakeville North Friday night.

#7 Rochester John Marshall swept #10 Winona by scores of 25-17, 25-9, 25-15.  The Rockets head to Lakeville South Friday night.

Northfield will host Rochester Mayo after the #6 seed won in three sets over Austin Wednesday night.

That bracket semi-final will be 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 1 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester.

Big Nine schools Mankato West and Mankato East had their seasons end in Section Two Class 2A play Wednesday night.

The Scarlets lost to Chaska in three sets and the Cougars were swept by New Prague.

Thursday night I'll be at #2 Kasson-Mantorville High School for their Section One West Subsection Class 2A quarterfinal  match with #7 Pine Island.

The winner advances to the semi-final in Rochester Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against  either #3 Cannon Falls or #6 Rochester Lourdes.

Also Thursday night #5 Zumbrota-Mazeppa is at #4 Byron, #8 Triton travels to #1 Stewartville and the winners of those matches collide Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Rochester.

In East Subsection Section One Class 2A action Thursday #1 seed Plainview-Elgin- Millville hosts Dover-Eyota. , #2 St. Charles has Lacrescent come to their place.

#3 Red Wing entertains Chatfield and #4 Winona Cotter has Lake City come to their gym.

The East Subsection Semis are Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Falcon Pep Band Plays National Anthem before Section Volleyball in Nomeland Gym. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Falcon Pep Band Plays National Anthem before Section Volleyball in Nomeland Gym. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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