Tanager volleyball squad opens season

Tanager volleyball squad opens season By Parker Knox
Sports Writer Vermillionâ�?�?s volleyballers gave perennial powerhouse Milbank all it wanted in three straight games before bowing 3-0 in the Tanagersâ�?�? season opener at Milbank Saturday. Coach Lenni Billbergâ�?�?s team dropped the opening game of the match, 25-18.�?  Milbank escaped with a 25-23 squeaker in Game No. 2 and polished off the victory with a 28-26 decision in the third game. Statistical leaders for the Tanagers were Bri Brinkmann with 13 digs, Justine Sorensen with four blocks and Sara Kjose with 15 assists. Milbank, which won the state â�?�?Aâ�? championship two seasons ago and again reached the state title game last fall, was the first stop on what Billberg considers to be the toughest schedule of any team in Region 4A. â�?�?We will have to bring our best game each night we play,â�? she said in an interview last week, â�?�?and that is a good thing.â�? Billberg said her girls put in a lot of hard work this summer in preparation for the season.�? â�?�?I am excited about our great crop of young kids.â�? The future does indeed bode well for the Tanagers.�?  Among the 44 girls out for volleyball in grades 9-12, there are 17 freshmen, and Billberg calls that group â�?�?the most skilled freshman team we have ever had.â�? After hosting Lennox and Todd County in a triangular Tuesday and South Sioux City in a dual Thursday, Vermillion returns to the road Saturday for a tournament at Luverne and Tuesday for a dual against Bon Homme in Tyndall.�? The next home match will be against Tri-Valley next Thursday with matches starting at 5, 6:15 and 7:30 p.m.