Section Play: Moorhead volleyball hosts Elk River in semifinal
Moorhead Spuds defeated St. Michael-Albertville to secure a home game against No. 6 Elk River on Nov. 4.
By Talia Bennett ·
Moorhead volleyball fans will get another chance to watch the Spuds play at home this week. The team will host No. 6 Elk River in the Minnesota Section 8-4A girls volleyball tournament semifinals at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4. A win on that night would advance Moorhead to the championship match scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7.
The Spuds earned their spot in the semifinals with a three-set victory over No. 7 St. Michael-Albertville on Thursday, Oct. 29. The final score was 25-12, 25-19, and 25-17 in favor of Moorhead. This result gave the team its highest seeding in the section tournament since 2019. Head coach Amber Fugleberg has led the program since 2022 and noted that beating several section teams during the regular season built confidence for the postseason.
"Beating a lot of the section teams gave us some confidence," Fugleberg said. "Finding that we were the (No. 2 seed) and getting an opportunity to host at home, I think that solidified a lot of what we worked for this summer and then built on this fall."
The Spuds currently hold a 15-12 record. Their path to the semifinals includes a 3-1 win over Elk River in the season opener on Aug. 27. The team has relied on balanced scoring and strong defensive numbers this season. Right-side hitter Dori Granlund leads the team with 259 kills. She also recorded 213 digs and 41 total blocks, placing her second in the team for both categories.
Junior middle blocker Ellyssa Holmberg leads the Spuds with 49 blocks. The 6-foot-2 player committed to Division I North Dakota this summer. Setter Jalynn Miller holds a team-high 739 assists. Sophomore outside hitter Jalynn Janich leads the team with 53 service aces and has recorded 198 kills.
"I just try to be the loudest on the team," Granlund said. "When things aren't going our best, I try to hype us up … that helps a lot."
Elk River defeated No. 3 Monticello 3-1 in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The Elks will travel to Moorhead for the semifinal. No. 1 Alexandria and No. 4 Buffalo will play the other semifinal at Alexandria at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.
