FIELDING A SERVE — Blue Earth Area’s Berkley Hagedorn digs up a Waseca serve during Big South Conference volleyball on Thursday night in Blue Earth. Buc teammates Taylor Klabunde (libero), Katherine Armon (1) and Kylee Eckmann (8) watch the action. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Mertens/ Faribault County Register).

BLUE EARTH — Waseca’s Allyah Taylor registered a game-high 14 kills to help the Bluejays volleyball team beat the Blue Earth Area Bucs, 25-18, 25-21, 26-24 in a Big South Conference contest on Thursday in Blue Earth.

“We came out flat tonight and Waseca played well, I have to give them credit,” BEA head coach Donna Nawrocki said. “We battled back and played better in each game, but Waseca was the better team tonight. Our girls hung tough and nearly pushed it to a fourth game, but we just couldn’t get the big points when we needed them. We’ll come out and play better on Tuesday.”

Waseca setter Kennedy Lynch had 19 set assists to lead both teams, and for BEA, Berkley Hagedorn and Kylee Eckmann each had 5 kills, while Hailey Becker finished with 9 set assists.

The Bucs trailed 11-6 early in Game 1, battled back to trail 21-16, but the Bluejays were able to pull away in the latter stages.

The Bucs had untimely errors in the latter stages of Game 1.

Siri Kuhns served the final two points, including an ace, to clinch Game 1 for the Bluejays.

BEA came out with more intensity in Game 2 and built an 8-2 lead.

The Lynch-to-Taylor connection allowed Waseca to make the comeback and eventually allow Waseca to take a one-point lead, 21-20.

Once again it was the Bluejays winning the big points down the strech, taking four of the final five points to grab the 25-21 win.

Game 3 was back-and-forth the entire game. It was tied 12-all, 22-all and 24-all before the Bluejays were able to win the final two points to win the game and complete the sweep. Kuhns’ serving ace won the game again for Waseca.

Kuhns was 9-of-9 serving with two aces and three points to lead Waseca, while Taylor Klabunde was 13-of-14 with two aces and eight points to lead the Bucs’ serving.

Madelyn Ferguson was 11-of-13 serving with one ace for the Bucs and eight points, while Berkley Hagedorn served 8-of-9 with one ace and three points and Becker served 8-of-10 with five points for the Bucs.

Next for the Bluejays (1-1) is an away match at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at St. James Area.

The Bucs (1-3) host Fairmont at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 3, Nicollet 0 — Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman’s Londyn Bowers had 10 kills to lead the Jaguars volleyball team to a 25-23, 25-21, 25-14 Valley Conference win over the Nicollet Raiders on Thursday night in Nicollet.

“It was nice to get our first win under our belts,” Jaguars’ head coach TJ Williams said.

Brianna Petrowiak added six kills, while Keira Benck and Lindsey Diegnau chipped in with 12 and six set assists for the Jaguars.

Bowers also was a standout on defense, collecting 15 digs and teammat Ashley Singleton finished with 11 digs to lead the Jaguars.

Bethany Petrowiak and Madisen Lewis had 3 and 2 blocks, respectively, to lead the Jaguars’ defense at the net.

The Jaguars compete in the Sleepy Eye Invitational beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

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New Ulm 3, Fairmont 0 — The New Ulm Eagles beat the Fairmont Cardinals volleyball team 25-10, 25-13, 26-24 during Big South Conference action on Thursday in New Ulm.

Brylee Miller finished with five kills to lead the Cardinals’ offense, while Grace Pendergast had two kills, a team-high seven set assists and was 100 percent serving with one ace for the Cardinals.

Fairmont’s Gabby Leiding paced the Cardinals’ defense by scooping up 10 digs, plus was 100 percent serving with two aces.

Pendergast also recorded eight digs from a defensive perspective, while Saige Leiding, Danika Eisenmenger, Ava Rodning and Mariah Moeller each had five digs for the Cardinals.

Fairmont’s Meredith Nemmers chipped in four digs.

The Eagles (1-2) travel to St. Peter for a 7:15 p.m. Big South Conference contest on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals (1-3) play a field consisting of Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey and host Sleepy Eye in a 9 a.m. tournament on Saturday in Sleepy Eye.