M-P/B rallies past Hankinson for regional championship

JAMESTOWN — With the Region 1B championship hanging in the balance, the Medina-Pingree/Buchanan Thunder needed two more points to complete a comeback that had nearly slipped away. After trailing by six points in the second set, the Thunder rallied to take a 21-19 lead over Hankinson before the Pirates fought back. The teams traded points until the score was tied 25-25. Freshman Ilaina Schmidt delivered a kill to give M-P/B set point. With Schmidt serving, the Thunder finished the comeback with a block to claim a 27-25 victory and even the match at one set apiece. The Thunder never trailed in the next two sets, defeating Hankinson 17-25, 27-25, 25-15, 25-20 on Thursday, Nov. 12, to capture the Region 1B championship and advance to the state tournament. M-P/B head coach Jacie Connell said her team has spent the season learning how to respond when things aren't going their way. "We've been working on that all year long," Connell said.

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