Knights split last week's matches; Mavs win twice

Walled Lake Northern split two matches this past week and is now 3-3 in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association (KLAA) North Division.

The Knights’ lone victory came on Thursday, Sept. 27 at home against Walled Lake Western in three games, 27-25, 25-20 and 25-13.

Peyton Lang had 16 kills for Northern (12-6-2), while Katie Simon had 16 assists, Natalie Giudici had 9 assists, and Gabrielle Bauer had 3 aces and 5 blocks.

Melissa Griffiths also had 19 digs.

“Hanna Von Bernthal ended the second set and Haley Hoyt ended the third set and they both did it with decisive, well placed spikes,” said Northern Head Coach Gus Dumlao. “That is how we want to finish sets and matches. These players were congratulated by their teammates at the end of the match.”

Western fell to 7-12-1 and 2-4 in the KLAA North.

The Knights began their week with a loss on the road at rival Huron Valley Lakeland in three games, 15-25, 20-25, 26-28 on Monday, Sept. 24.

“Although the team did not win this match, these players continue to show real performance improvement and they are not done,” Dumlao said.

Lang had 15 kills and 11 digs for Northern. Simon had 13 assists, Giudici had 9 assists, Bauer had 12 digs, and Coco Herrerias had 11 digs.

Northern played at Walled Lake Central yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 2 after press time and will host Waterford Mott tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 4.

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Huron Valley Milford moved up into third-place in the KLAA West Division with two division wins last week.

The Mavericks (10-10-3, 4-3 in the KLAA West) first played at Grand Blanc on Tuesday, Sept. 25 and defeated the Bobcats in four games.

Milford won the first two games, 25-23 and 25-17, before Grand Blanc won the third game, 25-18. The Mavs then closed out the Bobcats with a 25-23 victory in the fourth game.

“I really liked what I saw out of the girls tonight. We were tough, we played physical and we executed,” said Milford Head Coach Jeffery Stark.

Jillian Butsavich led Milford with 18 kills. Danielle Horvath had 6 aces, Whitney Mergens had 5 blocks, and Jonna Villemure had 35 assists and 18 digs.

The Mavs then hosted Howell on Thursday, Sept. 27 and won the first two games, 25-16 and 25-18, before the Highlanders took the third game, 27-25. Milford then closed out the match with a 25-13 victory in the fourth game.

Butsavich led Milford in kills with 13, while Anna Swanson had 12 and Mergens had 10 along with 5 blocks.

Villemure had 40 assists. Maddie Carr and Horvath each had 16 digs.

“This was our best match of the year. We produced in every facet of the game,” Stark said.

Milford hosted Brighton yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 2 after press time and will play at first-place Hartland tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 4.