by Joe Howell

The Bronco volleyball team won its third straight match of the season with a 3-1 win over home standing Enderlin.  The Broncos have won all three of their matches by scores of 3-1.  Although the scores indicate that all three of Lisbon’s wins were identical, that is far from the truth.

Lisbon used a 6-2 offensive alignment in their season opening victory at LaMoure.  The 6-2 set in their second match of the season resulted in a game 1 loss to Richland on Thursday, September 4.  Coach Amy Lyons juggled her line-up by switching to a 5-1 offensive set and the Broncos played better for the rest of the evening and defeated the Colts.

Lisbon won games 2, 3, and 4 against Richland by a combined score of 75–43.  Lyons commented on her team’s switch to a different line-up and the impact that it had on the match.  “We opened in a 6-2 and looked lost.  Our 5-1 really clicked and we feel really fortunate that we have players that can and are willing to change positions easily for the benefit of the team.”  “I feel that this year’s squad’s flexibility will only help us in future matches and it should make us harder to prepare for.”

It is still early in the year, and the Broncos will continue to work on cleaning up the areas that they have been weak in.  Service errors totaled 18 against the Colts and play was not consistent throughout the four-game match.

Strengths demonstrated by LHS were the blocking tandem of Veronica Munkeby and Courtney Bischof.  Tracie Heacox came in and provided some strong serves.

The confidence level of this year’s Bronco team will only grow as it matures throughout the season.

1 2 3 4

Lisbon 20 25 25 25 Richland 25 12 14 17

Bronco stats –

Kills – Veronica Munkeby 14, Kali Olson 11, Ashley Berg 7, Susie Lyons 6, Michele Hoistad 4

Assists – Susie Lyons 28, Kayla Rotenberger 4, Michele Hoistad 1, Taryn Wagner 1,  Veronica Munkeby 1

Aces – Ashley Berg1, Susie Lyons 3, Tracie Lyons 2, Taryn Wagner 5, Veronica Munkeby 2, Kayla Rotenberger 1, Michele Hoistad 3, Karli Freeberg 1

Digs – Ashley Berg 7, Taylor Wagner 4, Susie Lyons 1, Taryn Wagner 5, Veronica Munkeby 9, Kali Olson 1, Kayla Rotenberger 4, Michele Hoistad 2, Karli Freeberg 4

Blocks – Ashley Berg 2, Veronica Munkeby 2, Kali Olson 1

Lisbon raised its record to 3-1 with a 3-1 victory at Enderlin.  The Broncos were up and down during their match with the Eagles, and Enderlin’s hitting had the Broncos scrambling to pass the pass to set up their offense.

Taryn Wagner led the Broncos in digs with 13 while Veronica Munkeby was joined by Ashley Berg and Kali Olson to record double digits in kills.  Munkeby put away 14 while the explosive Berg added 12 and Olson pounded 11.

Setter Susie Lyons recorded a season high of 40 assists.

1 2 3 4

Lisbon 25 25 20 25

Enderlin 23 22 25 16

Bronco stats –

Kills – Ashley Berg 12, Taryn Wagner 5, Veronica Munkeby 14, Kali Olson 11, Kayla Rotenberger 1, Michele Hoistad 5

Assists – Susie Lyons 40, Courtney Bischof 1, Kayla Rotenberger 1, Michele Hoistad 2

Digs – Ashley Berg 12, Taylor Wagner 5, Taryn Wagner 13, Veronica Munkeby 5, Kayla Rotenberger 4, Michele Hoistad 7, Karli Freeberg 5

Blocks – Veronica Munkeby 3, and Kali Olson 3

Aces – Taylor Wagner 1, Susie Lyons 2, Tracie Heacox 2, Taryn Wagner 3, Veronica Munkeby 2

The Broncos opened both their district play and tournament play last week.  Lisbon hosted FCT on Thursday, Sept. 11 and competed at the Central Cass tournament on September 13.

Fairmount-Campbell-Tintah is a strong team and should have given the Broncos all they needed to improve.

The Casselton-based tournament always features some of the best squads in the state.  Lisbon, the two-time defending Region 1 champion, should get a great feel or where they are after the Central Cass tournament.

On September 20, Coach Amy Lyons and her crew will compete at the Valley City tournament, and again this will be a very good early season test for the Broncos.

Lisbon will not compete in a tournament again until October 4, when the Broncos and Enderlin host their annual tournament.

On October 10 and 11, Lisbon will compete in the premier tournament of the year when they travel to Des Lacs-Burlington to face the best of the west.