Hazen moves on, beating Beach in close match

• Racheal Biffert

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Beach junior Steph Steele, left, tips the ball over the net to Hazen senior Racheal Biffert on Monday during the Region 7 volleyball tournament quarterfinals at Knights of Columbus Activities Center.

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Every game between Hazen and Beach went down to the wire.

Only 12 points separated the two teams as the Bison defeated the Buccaneers, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-21 in the quarterfinals of the Region 7 Tournament on Monday at the Knights of Columbus Activities Center.

“I think we had to play really hard and I’m not really sure we played our game like we wanted to play it,” Hazen head coach Linette Irwin said. “That wasn’t exactly how we planned for it all to go out, but I have to give the kids credit for battling through some points that were pretty tough.”

That toughness showed in the final set when senior Courtney Ost, who had 12 kills, 13 digs and three aces, knocked down back-to-back kills to win the match.

“I was so excited,” Ost said. “I was so happy that we get to continue on.”

Hazen, the No. 3 seed from District 14, now crosses paths with its district champion and rival Beulah at 7:30 p.m. today in the semifinals. It will be the fifth meeting between the two teams this season.

“I wish it wasn’t number five for the season,” Irwin said. “However, it’s even we are 2-2. It’s anybodies ball game.”

The Bison trailed for the most of the final set. Beach led 10-5 early before Hazen roared back to knot it at 10.

“We served really well,” Irwin said. “I bet we served 93-94 percent. That was one of our goals.”

Junior Rachael Hansana made things happen for the Bison, supplying 37 assists and 24 digs.

“She’s awesome,” Ost said. “She knows exactly how everyone hits and where need the ball to effective.”

The first and third sets were almost identical for Hazen. Paige Burling marked major contributions for the Bison with a game-high 17 kills. She scored the final point in the third set.

“Paige had a lot of swings out there,” Irwin said. “In the third set, Paige already had 22 swings.”

In the second set, Beach and Hazen were tied 20-20 when the Buccaneers went on a 4-1 run to close the out the win to tie the match.

Hailee Farstveet had seven kills to lead the Buccaneers. Kelcee Dykins had five kills and 15 digs.

Beach was without head coach Allison Skari, who recently had a baby and wasn’t in attendance. Assistant coaches Britta Berube and Sarah Gubels led the Buccaneers on Monday.

“We had to keep their heads in the game all the time,” Berube said. “We wanted to stay positive and not let them get down on themselves.”

Hazen 25 21 25 25 — 3

Beach 23 25 23 21 — 1

Kills: H, Paige Burling 17, Courtney Ost 12, DeeAnna Ziegler 10, Rachael Hansana 4, Racheal Biffert 4, Sadie Bolton 2. B, Hailee Farstveet 7, Kelcee Dykins 5, Allyssa Zook 5, Steph Steele 4.

Blocks: H, Ziegler 3, Biffert 1. B, Dykins 6, Cyndi Stedman 4, Steele 3.

Aces: H, Nikayla Snyder 4, Christy Ann Opp 3, Ost 3. B, Steadman 3, Zook 2.

Digs: H, Hansana 24, Snyder 14, Biffert 13, Shelby Lemer 11, Opp 10. B, Dykins 15, Sarah Grant 12, Destiny Portanova 9, Zook 9.

Assists: H, Hansana 37. B, Grant 15.

Tags: high school volleyball, region 7, sports, volleyball