NORTH MANKATO — It wasn’t perfect wire-to-wire, but there’s no complaints with a three-set sweep.
Mankato West volleyball opened its 2026 season with a 25-10, 27-25, 27-25 sweep over Winona Tuesday at Dakota Meadows Middle School.
What went down
The Scarlets didn’t waste much time capturing momentum out of the chutes. West opened set one on a 9-0 run. The Windhawks rallied, but only got within seven points as the Scarlets cruised to a 25-10 set win.
It was also the only set where West jumped ahead early.
The Windhawks jumped ahead to an early 5-1 lead in the second stanza. West inched within one point on five separate occasions and tied the frame twice, but head coach Stacy Jackson burned her second and final timeout of the set down 23-17.
With senior setter Courtney O’Conner at the service line, West rallied to tie the match at 23.Then a tie at 24-24. Then came a stalemate at 25-25.
But West made the final push. A Windhawks attack error and a thunderous kill from sophomore phenom Alex Barten were the final two nails in the coffin to win the second set 27-25.
The third and final set was fairly even once again. After six lead changes and 16 ties we were once again knotted at 25-25. But once again West claimed the set and the match with another Windhawks attack error and a kill from Barten.
Stats
Barten led the Scarlets with 17 kills and added 14 digs. Maleah Grunst racked up 15 kills, 11 digs and four blocks.
O’Connor distributed 25 assists and made poker players jealous with her five aces. Anika Sathoff had a team-best 15 digs and added an assist. Sophomore Nora Kirby tallied 12 assists and two aces.
What’s next
The Scarlets return to action at 7:15 p.m. Sept. 8 against Willmar at Minnesota State’s Taylor Center.