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WESTBROOK -- Minneota volleyball hit the road for its second match of the season, taking on Westbrook-Walnut Grove in a battle with the Chargers.
The Vikings appeared to be in control early, cruising to a 25-16 victory in the opening set. However, WWG responded by taking the next two sets, 26-24 and 27-25, to put Minneota in a 2-1 hole.
Minneota head coach Kaley Buysse said the Vikings briefly lost their focus before finding their way back into the match.
"Defensively, we weren’t staying and sticking where we needed to. We got kind of frantic, and lost touch of playing together, playing like six individuals rather than a team," Buysse said.
The Vikings found their rhythm again in the fourth set, earning a 25-19 victory to even the match at two sets apiece and force a decisive fifth set.
A major spark for Minneota throughout the comeback came from libero Autum Anderson, who provided a steady presence in the back row.
"We really rely on her defensively, and it is pretty uncommon for her to not be somewhere behind a ball," Buysse said. "She is someone we can always count on, and is a huge leader in the back row."
Anderson finished with a team-high 17 digs, helping Minneota hold off the Chargers and complete the comeback. Eden Meagher added 15 digs, while Brynn Rost had 13 as three Vikings finished in double figures.
After battling back to force a fifth set, the Vikings left little doubt about the outcome. Minneota dominated the deciding set 15-6 to steal a road victory from the Chargers.
Offensively, Leah Coequyt led the Vikings with 18 kills. Jaylyn Coequyt added 14 kills, while Meagher also finished in double figures with 12.
Minneota also finished with six aces and nine blocks as a team.
For Buysse, the early-season win was about more than simply adding another victory to the record.
"I think this win says a lot. This is early in the season, and it is a big learning curve for us with lots of things to learn from," Buysse added.
The Vikings will look to carry that momentum into their next match, a road matchup against RTR on Sept. 10.