MINOT -- Two games into the match Thursday, New Salem-Almont's team had a total of nine kills.
"That's not going to get you anything here," Holsteins coach Marlene Kautzman said. "We did start playing better in the third game."
That was too little, too late against a Langdon defense that was too strong. The Cardinals scored a 25-8, 25-8, 25-21 win against New Salem-Almont in the quarterfinals of the state Class B high school volleyball tournament.
The win advances Langdon into tonight's 6 p.m. semifinal against Kenmare. That will match up the teams with the past three state championships, Langdon having won in 2008, with Kenmare sandwiching that with titles in 2007 and last season.
Defense was the spark for Langdon, as it has been all season. McKenzie Hart's 16 digs led the way. Breanna Mack added 13 and Justina Klindt 11 as the Cardinals rarely left New Salem-Almont with open floor in the first two games.
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"We played pretty tough defense," Langdon coach Rich Olson said. "One of our characteristics all year has been our ability to dig the ball.
"And our serve placement was good. We had them off balance. We didn't let their hitters get going until the third game."
The deepest lead New Salem-Almont had in any of the three games was at 4-3 in the third. A pattern was set early, when Langdon went on a 17-1 run to build an 18-4 lead in the opening game. Eleven of those points came with Hart, the Cardinals' top threat at the net, serving.
"That early run was big," Olson said. "Kids come out anxious at the start of a state tournament. Getting a lead like that relaxes everybody and gets the confidence up."
The Cardinals never trailed in the second game and led by as many as seven at 19-12 in the third game. The Holsteins made a late comeback, pulling to within 24-21 before a Hart block finished off the win.
In addition to holding advantages of 27-19 in kills and 10-0 in service aces, Langdon also had a 10-1 advantage in blocks.
"We had good defense at the net," Olson said. "It was one of the better blocking performances we've had all year."
Hart paced Langdon with a strong all-around game, getting 13 kills, five blocks and four service aces to go with her 16 digs. Abbey Braaten had six kills and Julie Dinius five kills and two blocks.
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Emily Wolf's 10 kills led New Salem-Almont. Tamara Kingenstein added five, but no other NS-A player had more than two kills.
