Volleyball: Cannon Falls holds on against Kenyon-Wanamingo

A little friendly sibling rivalry is good theater and Tuesday’s match between Cannon Falls and Kenyon-Wanamingo did not disappoint.

Bombers’ head coach Melissa Huseth and the Knights’ head coach Jennifer Nerison are sisters and Nerison worked as Huseth’s assistant coach before taking the job at K-W.

“We’re both really competitive people but we’re close,” Huseth said. “I want her to be successful yet I want my team to win. That was the hardest part. You can’t have it both ways but I wish we could.”

Huseth’s squad got the best of the Knights Tuesday as Cannon Falls won 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-22.

My girls absolutely adore Jen,” Huseth said. “Most of those girls she’s developed. She helped me build this program that I’m really proud of. She deserves some accolades too.”

K-W was able to catch the Bombers (8-2, 4-1 HVL) in the first set but Cannon Falls responded despite a plucky Knights team.

“Every match was a battle,” Huseth said. “I thought they did a great job. Just about every game they were down. I have to give them a lot of credit.”

The Bombers had four players lead the team with eight kills. MaKenzie Franklin had eight kills, five blocks and five ace serves, Hailey Huseth finished with eight kills, 20 set assists and 10 digs, Carly Broze had eight kills and eight blocks and Madasyn Hofstedt had eight kills. Lydia Franken tallied 15 set assits and three ace serves.

Cannon Falls also had to deal with an injury to starting middle hitter Katie Noble, who turned her ankle and was replaced by junior varsity player Leah Meyers and Hofstedt in the third and fourth sets.

Meg Clark led Kenyon-Wanamingo with 25 set assists, Sarah Hildebrandt had 19 set assists and Brittney Flom provided 11 kills and two ace blocks in the loss.

“It was a very emotional night,” Melissa Huseth, who grew up in the Kenyon-Wanamingo community, said. “Either way, and I want to win, it would have been a good night.”

The Bombers face Lake City Thursday in Cannon Falls.

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