Woodbury volleyball: Royals’ run ends with 3-1 loss to Hill-Murray

For a moment, it looked like Woodbury would do it.

The Royals volleyball team stole the first set from top-seeded Hill-Murray in its Section 4AAA semifinal match on Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Maplewood. However, the Pioneers won three straight games, including a pivotal 26-24 third set, to escape with a 3-1 win, ending Woodbury’s season.

Woodbury finished the year with an 18-12 record.

Against Hill-Murray (25-4), fifth-seeded Woodbury took the first game 26-24, taking a 16-11 lead and hanging on for the win. In the first set, Woodbury juniors Sara Biermaier and Aby Andualem-Emiru came up with key kills. Biermaier, an outside hitter, scored the final point of the set with a spike, giving Woodbury a 1-0 lead.

Hill-Murray, however, dominated the second set, taking a 16-8 lead and rolling to a 25-14 win.

Then, in the third – and critical set – Hill-Murray jumped out to a 5-2 lead. Woodbury stayed within one to three points, though, for the rest of the set.. However, tied 24-24, the Pioneers scored the final two points of the match to take a 2-1 lead. Biermaier and seniors Alex Benedict and Olivia Wangensteen scored key points for Woodbury in the third set with kills.

After losing the crucial third game, Woodbury seemed to run out of steam and Hill-Murray took the fourth, and final, set 25-12.

Hill-Murray advanced to the section final, where it was upset by No. 2 seed Cretin-Derham Hall 3-1.

For Woodbury, the loss ended the prep volleyball career of seven seniors on the roster – Wangensteen, Benedict, Sara Sweeney, Chloe Richter, Skylar Stoltz and Erica Johnson.

Tags: sports, volleyball, prep, woodbury, royals, updates