Fighting Saints Rally Past Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in Four Sets

The Fighting Saints turned an early setback into a convincing home victory Thursday night, defeating Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3-1 in Kerkhoven. After dropping the opening set 25-16, KMS found its rhythm and captured the next three by identical 25-19 scores. The Sept. 17 comeback showcased the Saints’ ability to adjust, defend and play with confidence across the front and back rows.

KMS started slowly in the first set and struggled to establish an effective front-row rhythm. That changed quickly after the opening-set loss. The Saints settled into their system, strengthened their serving and took control of the match with three consecutive six-point set victories. Stronger serving helped KMS avoid falling behind and having to chase points, while the setters transitioned effectively to the net and kept the offense moving at a fast pace.

The Saints’ blocking came alive in the second set and helped shift the momentum. KMS adjusted to Tracy-Milroy-Balaton’s biggest attacking threats by bunch blocking its hitters, slowing the Cardinals’ offense and giving the Saints’ defense more opportunities to extend rallies. Avea Finstrom, Raina Finstrom, Madison Silas and Leah Wagner led that work at the net, forming an imposing group of blockers as KMS evened the match and continued building pressure.

Silas delivered the leading offensive performance with 18 kills. Her elevation and ability to attack different areas of the floor made her difficult to read throughout the match. Wagner added six kills by recognizing openings in the Tracy-Milroy-Balaton defense and attacking those weaknesses. Wagner also shared the setting duties with Brooke Johnson, and each finished with 15 assists while contributing solid defense.

The back row provided an equally important foundation for the turnaround. Emily Holtkamp and Ira Gareis were steady in serve receive, helping the Saints get into their offense cleanly. Sydney Everson, Hope Steinart and Ellie Van Heuveln supplied valuable minutes off the bench and gave KMS dependable play in the back row. Their contributions added depth to a defensive effort that remained strong through the final three sets.

Winning 25-19 in the second, third and fourth sets reflected the Saints’ consistency after the early stumble. KMS combined better serving, disciplined blocking, reliable passing and balanced setting to finish the comeback. With starters and reserves contributing to the same sustained effort, the four-set victory became a well-earned celebration of the team’s depth and ability to respond together.