Albany Huskies Volleyball Dominates Earlybird Tournament

Albany hosted its annual Earlybird Volleyball Tournament on Friday, August 28. The event featured eight competitive teams from central Minnesota, including Annandale, New London-Spicer, and Watertown Mayer, as the Albany Huskies set their sights on a third consecutive state tournament bid. The Huskies secured a third-place finish in Pool A, achieving a 2-2 record. They swept Maple Lake and Big Lake in playoff matches but faced close contests against Osakis and Annandale.

Annandale, New London-Spicer, and Waterton-Mayer emerged as the champions across the three pool groupings. Coach Brian Hines noted strong serving and passing from his team, though he highlighted a need for more consistent hitting and better court awareness from the players. He specifically recognized the contributions of newcomers Layla Wenderski and Liza Brever, alongside strong performances from Reegan Lemm, Addison Brickig, Katie Brickig, and Brooke Boecker.

Rocori also participated, finishing second in Pool B with a 2-2 record and securing wins against Maple Lake and Osakis. Maggie Young and Mara Jungels were noted for their strong play. Both Albany and Rocori were scheduled to play their next matches on September 1, with Albany hosting Milaca and Rocori playing Willmar.