Lincoln Southwest Stuns Pius X; Bolts Bounce Back to Top Millard North

<p><strong>Courtney Holsteen (23) of Lincoln Southwest hits between the block of Lauren Taubenheim (left) and Cora Thomas (6) of Lincoln Pius X during Tuesday night's match. Lincoln Southwest won 2-1. | Photo by Berk Brown</strong></p> <p>OMAHA - Everything that will make this season season in Class A one of the wildest and most unpredictable in years was on full display Tuesday night in a triangular in Omaha between #4 Lincoln Pius X, #6 Millard North and Lincoln Southwest.</p> <p>In the first match of the night, Millard North absolutely steamrolled Lincoln Southwest 25-9, 25-12 as the Mustangs pretty much had their way the entire match and the Silver Hawks struggled to stay in system while having no answer for there Mustangs attack.</p> <p>Things didn't appear as though they would get any better for Lincoln Southwest when it had to take on Lincoln Pius X next as the Bolts took the first set 25-17. But, then things got pretty wild.</p> <p>In the second set, the Thunderbolts' serve receive and passing completely disappeared and Lincoln Southwest began to find its rhythm and gained confidence as the set went along and the Silver Hawks pulled out a 25-23 victory to force a third set.</p> <p>Lincoln Southwest refused to let the momentum fade and pulled away late for a stunning 25-21 win in set three to upset Pius 2-1.</p> <p>In the nightcap, Millard North seemed in a pretty good position to try and beat the Bolts while they were down, but Lincoln Pius rebounded and downed the Mustangs 25-18, 20-25, 25-22 in a rematch of last year's Class A state final, which Millard North won.</p> <p>After splitting the first two sets, Millard North jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the third set, but three attack errors by the Mustangs, a service error, a block from Kylen Sealock and an ace serve from Addison Markowski put Pius X up 8-6. The Thunderbolts added another 4-0 run thanks to a pair of Mustang attack errors and kills from Carly Rodaway and Lauren Taubenheim to go up 13-8.</p> <p>Pius X maintained a comfortable lead until a Jenna Hamilton ace followed by a kill from Eve Fountain pulled Millard North within 22-19, but two consecutive attack errors on Millard North got the Bolts to 24-19. Millard North fought off three match points to pull within 24-22, but Cora Thomas pounded home her first kill of the night on a slide that ended it for Pius X.</p> <p>Fountain led all attackers with 17 kills in the match for Millard North while setter Izzy Lukens had 26 assists and five kills. Molly Plahn and Hamilton each had five kills as well for the Mustangs.</p> <p>For Pius X, Kylen Sealock had a team-high 12 kills in the match while Lauren Taubenheim had nine and Alexis Markowski had seven. Hannah Pham had 16 assists for Pius X and Addison Markowski had 14.</p> <p>Lincoln Southwest now stands at 2-1 on the season while Millard North is 6-3 and Lincoln Pius X is 3-1.</p>