FARGO, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Valley City  and Fargo North split their first two meetings this season. Fargo North won on senior night in Valley City on October 8 in four sets. Two days later, Valley City defeated North at the Spartandome in three sets in the Fargo Invite. Tuesday night was the rubber match between the two and Valley City swept the Spartans 25-23, 25-23, 25-17.

In the first set, North lead for most of the match, their largest lead came at 15-9. The Hi-Liners would then go on a 12-2 run to take a 21-17 lead. North would get within 24-23 before the Hi-Liners won the set 25-23.

Set two saw North jump out to a 3-0 lead. The Hi-Liners would take the lead 4-3 with a four point run. The Spartans tied it at 4, then the Hi-Liners tied it at 5 and with North up 6-5, Valley City scored four straight to take a 9-6 lead. The would hold the lead until North came back to tie it at 18. The Hi-Liners would go up one, then North would tie. That happened at 19 and 21. Valley City would score two straight points to take a 23-21 lead then had to hold on for a 25-23 win.

Set three was all Valley City. They jumped out to a 13-5 lead expanded that to 16-7. The Hi-Liners were about to finish of North with a 24-12 lead, but the Spartans score five straight points to get to within 24-17 before Trissa Grande’s serve went into the net to end the game with a 25-17 Hi-Liner win.

Peyton Pederson led the offense with 10 kills. Four coming in the third set. Lexi Leroux had seven kills, Samantha Hatcher had five and Jadyn Dieterle added four. Dylan Diegel had 27 assists. Hatcher led the defense with 18 digs, two blocks and four aces. Jocey Kriewald added 14 digs for the Hi-Liners who had only one service error and six aces in 77 serves.

Valley City finishes the regular season 11-11 overall and 11-9 in the Eastern Dakota Conference. North falls to 9-11 in the EDC and 13-13 overall. Valley City is the number 6 seed in the up coming East Region. North will be the seventh seed.

Valley City was to host Wahpeton in a play-in game this Saturday at the Hi-Liner Activity Center. But Wahpeton has canceled due to COVID issues. So the Hi-Liners will advance to the East Regional tournament on Tuesday and play at the #3 Seed. Fargo Shanley and Fargo Davies play Thursday night to determine who will be the third seed. North will host Devils Lake in a play-in match on Saturday.