The Lions kept playing with fire in the Tri-Rivers Tournament, and it eventually got too hot.
Lisbon finished runner-up, falling to No. 14 (1A) Edgewood-Colesburg in the championship, 25-20, 23-25, 19-17.
“We had four match points to end it in the third set, and couldn’t close the deal,” Lisbon Coach Lance Kamaus said.
Ed-Co (25-13) started the season ranked No. 5 in 1A, and has played a schedule of challenging weekend tournaments. On this Saturday, the Vikings were led by senior Audrie Helmrichs with 18 kills.
Lisbon (27-5) lost the first set, and trailed 15-9 and then 19-14 in the second set before rallying. The third set was a toss up.
“It was a good, hard-fought match,” Kamaus said. “I was proud of the way our kids played.”
Ava Czarnecki led the offense with 19 kills, with Mykala Luzum-Selmon adding 15 kills. Kaitlynn Hasselbusch had 37 assists and Luzum-Selmon led with 19 digs.
Lisbon started the Tri-Rivers Tournament with a pair of wins Thursday, Oct. 12 at home, beating Prince of Peace 21-4, 21-10, and Easton Valley, 21-16, 21-17.
On Saturday at North Cedar High School in Stanwood, the Lions beat Starmont in the quarterfinals 25-13, 25-19, and battled back to top Central City 19-25, 25-10, 15-13, in the semifinals.
“We didn’t have much going in in that first set, but it was a buzzsaw the second set,” Kamaus said.
The third set was tied, 13-13, when the Lions closed it out with a side out and a block.
“We made a ton of plays,” Kamaus said. “It was a little disappointing (not to win) but there was a lot of happiness in how they played.”
Against the Wildcats, who had beaten Lisbon in Tri-Rivers action back on Sept. 7, Czarnecki had 21 kills and Luzum-Selmon had 12 kills.
Lisbon played a Class 2A Region 7 game Wednesday, Oct. 18, against Jesup (18-17). If they won, they play a regional semifinal Monday, Oct. 23. It is at Regina (26-10), if both teams won Wednesday.

Gallery • 2 Photos

--Courtesy photo Mike Cranston

Lisbon’s Addy Happel (No. 5) anticipates the ball to keep it in play at North Cedar.