VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A sixth seed versus a seventh seed can usually be a pretty good matchup. Thursday night Sixth Seed Valley City and Seven Seed Fargo North met in a loser out match in the East Region Tournament and the Hi-Liners prevailed in five sets (25-22, 10-25, 25-16, 18-25, 15-13) to move on to a State Qualifying match Saturday morning.

This match was definitely a match of ebbs and flows. In the first set, the Hi-Liners jumped out to a 6-1 lead only to see North battle back and get to within one at 16-15. The Hi-Liners would go back up 19-15, only to have the Spartans come back again and get to within one at 19-18. From there it would be Hi-Liners up three, then two then one, but the Hi-Liners would take the set 25-22.

Set two was all Fargo North from the beginning. The Spartans jumped out to a 16-4 lead. The Hi-Liners would get it down to a nine point deficit at 17-8. But North would end the set on a 8-2 run to pick up the 25-10 win.

The third set saw a back and forth set again. Neither team could get away from the other early. The set was tied at 1, 2, 3, and 5. Valley City would score three straight to take a 8-5 lead. The two teams would go back and forth with Valley City going up five, then North would get back to within two, then the Hi-Liners back up five. Valley City would end the set on a 6-1 run to win 25-16.

Set four started out with five ties. The set was tied at 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Fargo North would open up a 15-7 lead with nine straight points. The two teams would play even from there on for a 25-18 win to send the match to a fifth set.

In the fifth and final set, Valley City would score first, the set would be tied at 1 and 2. North would score two in a row to take a 4-2 lead. The next six point were alternating to give North a 7-5 lead. North would regain a three point lead at 8-5. The Spartans would keep the lead at 1, 2 or 3 points. With the score 12-10 North, Valley City would take a time out. After the timeout, Valley City would go on a 5-1 run, including the last four points the last on Lexi Leroux’s kill to take the set 15-13 and the match 3-2.

Samantha Hatcher had a double-double for the Hi-Liners with a team high 11 kills and 18 digs. Jadyn Dieterle had ten kills for Valley City. Lexi Leroux had nine and Peyton Pederson had eight. Dylann Diegel had a season and career high 36 assists and added two aces. Defensively, Jocey Kriewald led the way with 20 digs and Peyton Pederson had five blocks.

North was led by Grace DeJong and Grace Miller with nine kills each. Emily Skalicky had eight kills and a 16 assists. Reagan Carlson had seven kills and three blocks. Brooke Swanson added six kills and three blocks for the Spartans whose season ends with a 14-15 record.

Valley City improves to 13-12 and will play Fargo Shanley in a State Qualifying match Saturday morning at West Fargo. The Deacons lost in straight sets to West Fargo in the semifinals. Valley City beat Shanley in their only meeting this season, 3-0 at Shanley on October 26th.

Scores from Thursday Night:

Valley City def. Fargo North, 25-22, 10-25, 25-16, 18-25, 15-13

Grand Forks Red River def. Fargo South, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20

West Fargo def. Fargo Shanley, 25-18, 25-18, 25-17

Fargo Davies def. West Fargo Sheyenne, 25-18, 24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13

Saturday’s Schedule at West Fargo High School

10am – Valley City vs. Fargo Shanley (State qualifier)

2pm – Grand Forks Red River vs. West Fargo Sheyenne (State qualifier)

6pm – Fargo Davies vs. West Fargo (Championship)