The Valley City Hi-Liners finally faced off against the state’s top team, the West Fargo Sheyenne Mustangs, but after a promising start, the Mustangs took control and secured a straight-sets victory.

In the first set, Valley City jumped out to an early 10-5 lead, countering Sheyenne’s size and athleticism with strong defensive play. The Mustangs, however, responded with a run to tie the game, and after several exchanges, they used a few key scoring bursts to win the set 25-20.

Valley City once again started strong in the second set, holding a 13-13 tie at the midpoint. Despite their efforts, the Hi-Liners couldn’t hold off Sheyenne’s late surge, as the Mustangs closed out the set on a 12-3 run for a 25-16 win.

The third set was dominated by Sheyenne’s offensive attack at the net, while Valley City struggled to break through the Mustangs’ defense. Sheyenne took an early lead and never looked back, cruising to a 25-11 win to take the match.

The Hi-Liners will now get a week-long break before traveling to face Fargo Davies on October 15.