Bulldogs are State Bound!

The last time the mighty Bulldogs made the trip to the State Class B Volleyball Tournament was in 2006. For a few of the seniors, this will be a return trip ­– a trip they have been longing for and dreaming about since they were in seventh grade.
The journey back to the State Tournament has been long and hard-fought. Throughout their Bulldog volleyball careers, they have become a tight-knit family who works together, plays together, and have been known to shed tears together. Together, they mourned the loss of teammate, Alyssa Frank, to whom they have dedicated this season. It has been together, they have shared the thrill of victory.
With an exceptional 33-7-1 record for the ‘09 season, the Bulldogs can be proud of their accomplishments this far. They recenlty  took home the District 9 Championship Trophy and on Thursday, added the Region 5 Championship trophy to the case. These girls truly are a force to be reckoned with.
Monday, Nov. 9, the Bulldogs faced Sheridan County. The Bulldogs were able to pull off the win in three games 25-18, 25-12, and 25-23. Although Sheridan County was playing for the life of their team – a team that will not exist in the next school year, the Bulldogs had their sights set on state and were not willing to back down.
With a win under their belt, the girls advanced to the Semi-Finals on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to meet long-time rival, New Salem. As head coach, Jerlyn Gabrielson explained, “We have a long history with New Salem. We have played them for championships over the years and its very mentally challenging.” They came out on top with a 25-21, 25-23, 15-25, 25-20 victory to advance to the Championship game.
With a trip to the State Tournament within reach, the Bulldogs met Center Stanton for the Championship game on Thursday, Nov. 12. Because they played them in the District Tournament, as Gabrielson stated, “We found ourselves in a dangerous situation. Center was really focused and determined. They were coming out to redeem themselves.” The Bulldogs kept the four C’s in mind… Confidence, Composure, Control, and Consistency.
With tension mounting, the Bulldogs were down 23-25 and 20-25. “We came back with a really strong third set. We didn’t just kinda win it, we really won it – 25-14, kind of knocked them back on their heels a little bit,” explained Gabrielson. In the fourth they came out with 25-21, leading into the deciding game. “We sided out at 5-7 and we stormed through it,” exclaimed Gabrielson. “At the very end, when we knew we had won, Allison came and tackled me to the floor – I thought it was football!”  said senior Jorie Schmidt.
They may be fine football players… but volleyball is where they shine.
The Bulldogs will take the court at the Minot Dome on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 2:00 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs will take on the Linton Lions in first round play.